


Fevered Mind

by WildClover27 (PrairieFlower)



Category: Garrison's Gorillas
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-21
Updated: 2020-04-22
Packaged: 2021-03-01 23:06:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 44,175
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23765068
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PrairieFlower/pseuds/WildClover27
Summary: Another mission goes awry. What happens when a fevered mind lives its worst nightmares?
Comments: 10
Kudos: 9





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> All non-canon characters are my own and not for use in other people's stories.

He jumped last, as he always did, standing beside the open door, buffeted by the harsh wind, watching as each of the ‘chutes spread its white gossamer. But this time Chief’s static line did not open his parachute, and Garrison waited a precious few seconds to be sure the Indian was able to open his chute manually, mentally bracing himself to begin the freefall that would be needed to attempt a diving rescue. Then the fourth parachute blossomed below and, relieved, Garrison jumped. 

But this delay in leaving the airplane put his landing a distance from the other men. A distance that brought him closer to the small unit of Wehrmacht soldiers who had been alerted by the sound of the single airplane’s engines. Craig worked feverishly to gather his chute and hide it. Unfortunately, the Jerries were onto him before he could finish. He did the only thing he could do and that was dive into the woods, but he was not fast enough to avoid the bullet that ripped through the muscular outside of his right thigh. Right hand clutching his bleeding thigh, gun in his left hand, Garrison plunged deeper into the woods trying to find a place to hide. Limping badly, he began a zigzag course, pausing for brief seconds to listen for sounds of pursuit. The Germans seemed to be moving at a slower pace, spread out, probably trying to flush him out. It was as he leaned his right shoulder against a tree to take the weight off his injured leg, that a hand clamped on his gun hand and another came from behind to cover his mouth.

“Warden!” was hissed into his ear.

Garrison relaxed immediately and the hands were removed.

“You hurt?” It was actually more of a whispered statement than a question.

Craig nodded, tucking the gun awkwardly back into the left shoulder holster. Chief grasped Garrison’s right wrist and ducked his head under the officer’s arm, taking as much of the man’s weight as he could and guiding him on an angle away from the searching soldiers. They traveled for a couple hundred yards before meeting up with the other men.

“Warden caught one,” said the Indian in a low voice.

Garrison was propped against a tree and eased down to sit against it. The large frame of Actor squatted down beside him.

“Bullet still in there?” asked the group’s medical expert.

“No,” said Garrison, trying to catch his breath and wondering why that was so difficult.

Actor could not assess the wound because he dared not use a light. He felt the sticky wet pants leg and heard the sharp intake of breath when his carefully probing fingers came close to the still bleeding hole. Actor held up a hand without looking and snapped his fingers. Casino’s neckerchief was lightly slapped in his open palm. He carefully eased a corner under the Lieutenant’s leg and secured it tightly over the wound, drawing another sharp intake of breath from the man.

“The car from the Resistance is not far from here,” advised Actor quietly. “We need to get out of here before the Germans get this far. Can you make it?”

“Sure,” said Garrison with a confidence he wasn’t that sure of.

Actor flowed to his feet and reached an arm down to grasp the Lieutenant’s as Casino stepped forward and did the same from the other side. Together they brought the officer up to stand on his good leg. Casino pulled Craig’s left arm around his neck, while Goniff jumped in to take his right side. Chief took the point with the three in the middle and Actor covering the rear.

Not far seemed like miles to the young officer. He wondered why he felt so lousy. He had been shot a number of times before. He shouldn’t be feeling this dizzy, or hot and cold. Though the wound was more than a scratch, Garrison did not think he had lost that much blood. Finally, they reached the sedan that had been hidden in the woods by the Resistance. Garrison was bundled into the back with Casino on one side and Goniff on the other. Chief drove and Actor took the other front seat. Chief had been briefed well before the mission, so he knew where he was driving to. This allowed Garrison to relax, or try to, in the back.

“Warden?” asked Actor calmly. “How are you doing?”

“Fine,” was Craig’s terse reply.

Casino gave a short cynical laugh beside him. “He could be half dead and he’d say he was fine.”

Goniff wiggled as best he could away from Garrison’s right leg. “Got enough room there, Warden?” he asked.

“It’s fine, Goniff,’ said Craig brusquely. 

He wished they would just leave him be. The tell-tale headache was starting, and Garrison realized with frustration that he was starting one of his fevers again. Well, he’d worked through them before. He would just work through this one too. Wonderful, his head was throbbing in time with his leg wound.

Reaching the house well off the main road, the teamwork of the men was becoming so fine-tuned they needed no instructions from Garrison. Chief took first watch. Casino and Goniff helped get the Lieutenant into the house and stretched out on the single bed; the safecracker made sure the windows were all completely covered before lighting a lamp, and the pickpocket got the aid kit out for Actor. 

The confidence man pulled a small side table close to the bed and lit the kerosene lamp that was on it. He set a chair next to Garrison’s leg and opened the aid kit on the table beside the lamp. Craig tried to remain propped on his elbows so he could see the wound and watch Actor, but the light from the lamp was bothering his eyes and he was dizzy again, so he lay back down, not catching the flash of concerned look he received from Actor. 

The Italian took a switchblade from his pocket and opened it.

“Getting to like that thing?” asked Craig tightly, trying to sound as though nothing was wrong.

“It has its uses,” replied the con man steadily.

The pants leg was pretty much ruined, so Actor slit it from the bottom up to uncover the wound. He untied the blood-soaked neckerchief, revealing the bullet wound. It was a through and through, still bleeding, but not as heavily and not arterial. It seemed to have missed bone. He set about cleaning around the entrance and exit wounds with a cloth and water from the basin brought by Goniff.

Casino came over and took a look, giving a whistle of appreciation. “Nice one, Warden. That’ll scrub the mission. Let’s go home.”

“Good idea!” chimed in Goniff immediately.

“We are not scrubbing the mission,” said Garrison forcefully, with a glare at the safecracker.

“Warden . . .” Actor started to protest. 

“It’s not up for debate. We are not aborting!” insisted Garrison, turning his glare to his second.

Actor noted the glazed look in the blue-green eyes that squinted at him. “Is it starting up again?” he asked conversationally.

“I can deal with it,” said Garrison, knowing exactly what the confidence man was referring to. 

Between the leg injury and the illness that had not been present at the time of the jump, Actor doubted the Lieutenant was going to be able to ‘deal with it.’ He decided to say nothing more about the mission. They could do nothing until morning anyway. Maybe by that time, the Warden would be feeling bad enough to admit they needed to abort. Actor set about liberally sprinkling sulfa on the wounds, dressing them and bandaging the leg tightly to keep pressure on in an effort to stop the bleeding completely.   
Done, Actor reached the backs of his fingers up to see how hot Garrison’s forehead was. The Lieutenant’s arm swung out, blocking Actor’s arm. The two eyed each other narrowly. Actor slowly lowered his arm.

“Goniff,” said Actor casually. “See if you can get a cup of water for the Warden.”

“Right,” replied the pickpocket quickly. He had caught the unusual move by Garrison and didn’t know what to make of it.

Casino said nothing; just watching the con man and the Warden worriedly. Something wasn’t right here.

Actor took two packets of pills from the aid kit and opened them both, dumping the contents into his hand. He waited patiently for Goniff to return with the dented tin cup of water before holding the medicine out to Garrison.

“Sulfa and aspirin,” he said.

Craig took the pills warily and popped them into his mouth. This time he allowed the con man to support his neck so he could drink the water that was held out to him by Goniff.

Actor could feel the heat from the back of the Lieutenant’s neck. It did not bode well. “Would you like some morphine for the pain?” he asked.

“No,” replied Garrison firmly. “You’re not drugging me.”

“That was not my intent,” Actor said in a soothing tone. “If the pain gets too bad, ask and I will give you some.”

Casino and Goniff exchanged worried looks. The Warden definitely wasn’t acting right. Actor looked at the Englishman. 

“Could you get some clean water in the basin and rinse the cloth out?” he asked quietly.

“Sure thing, Mate,” said Goniff, jumping to do it.

Actor and Casino lifted the table and moved it back against the wall. The con man turned the wick down on the lamp so he could still see Garrison, but the light would not be so irritating to the man’s eyes. Goniff brought the basin back with fresh water. Actor wrung the cloth out and slowly moved toward Garrison. The eyes that squinted at him showed distrust. Actor carefully laid the folded cloth across the man’s forehead and backed away. He nodded toward the door and the three men moved silently out of the bedroom and into the front room. Actor left the door open enough to be able to keep an eye on his patient without Garrison hearing them easily.

“What’s the matter with ‘im?” asked Goniff worriedly. “’E ain’t right.”

Casino shook his head. “He’s had fevers before. He ain’t never acted like this. It’s like he don’t trust you,” he said to Actor.

“There does seem to be paranoia there,” admitted the con man. “I don’t know why this is so different from the other times.” He wasn’t about to admit how worried that made him.

“So, what are we gonna do?” asked Goniff, plopping down in a wooden chair at the table.

“Can you get us outta here?” asked Casino before Actor could respond.

The Italian sucked in a cheek and nodded slowly. “I can get us to the rendezvous.”

“What about the mission?” Goniff asked. 

“The Lieutenant will be greatly displeased if we don’t fulfill it,” said Actor. “And, if we return to England with the Warden ill and the mission unaccomplished there is no predicting what actions the army will take against us all.”

“That’s true,” agreed Casino reluctantly. 

Casino and Goniff looked at Actor. He was still chewing on the inside of his cheek, thinking.

“It could be done, I suppose,” he said slowly. “We would have to change the plan a little, but we’ve done that before and pulled it off.” He looked at the two. “We will see how the Warden is in the morning. Either way, we will need German uniforms. Goniff, that’s your job. A SS colonel’s uniform for me and a Lieutenant’s or Major’s for Casino. We will also need corporal’s uniforms for you and Chief.”

“No problem,” assured Goniff. “And a new pair of pants for the Warden.”

Actor nodded. “We will also need a closed German car if we are going to transport the Warden.”

“Boy,” groused Casino. “Why do we always get the bad missions?”

“Because if the missions were easy, they wouldn’t need us,” replied Actor with a cynical crooked grin.

Casino, Goniff and Chief took turns sleeping and taking watch. Actor remained awake the entire night and next morning, sitting in the bedroom with an increasingly delirious and paranoid Garrison. Aspirin, sulfa and cool cloths, though keeping the fever from getting dangerously high, were not bringing it down. The leg wound, in contrast, looked almost benign.

Just before dawn, Chief slipped silently into the bedroom to see if Actor needed anything before he and Goniff went on their scavenger hunt for clothes and a different vehicle. The Indian looked at Garrison and did not remember ever seeing him look that bad. The confidence man, still sitting in a chair, hooded eyes on the Lieutenant, did not appear much better.

Chief had awakened a couple times that night to hear Garrison accusing the Italian of poisoning him and trying to take over the group. Actor’s voice had been calm and soothing, trying to reassure the officer no one was attempting to take over or poison him; that he was ill, and they would take him back to England.

“We’re goin’ now,” said Chief quietly so as not to disturb the temporarily resting Lieutenant. “You need anything?”

Actor shook his head, paused, then looked up questioningly to the younger man. “You know how to make that strange concoction Teresa does for fever?”

Chief nodded. Boy, Actor must be desperate if he was asking about Indian medicine.

“Can you make some?” asked Actor. “We are out of aspirin and sulfa tablets.”

“Thought about that earlier,” said Chief. “I looked. Ain’t no willow trees around here. I’ll tell Goniff. Maybe he can heist some more medicine from somewhere.”

Actor nodded, shifting his eyes back to the man on the bed. Chief, in a gesture unusual for the young man who did not like touch, reached a hand out and squeezed the older man’s shoulder. Actor looked up, masking his surprise.

“Be back as quick as we can,” said Chief.

“Just be careful,” admonished the con man.

Chief nodded and slipped back out of the room. 

GGGGG

Goniff and Chief went around the back of the house to where the Resistance car was hidden behind a shed. Chief got behind the wheel and the pickpocket got in the front passenger seat. The Indian pulled out and headed for town. He was surprised at how quiet Goniff was, even if the man was fidgeting as was his norm.

Finally, Goniff said, “I don’t like it. Warden’s ‘ad fevers before, but ‘e’s never been outta ‘is ‘ead.”

Chief didn’t like it either. He had known it was going to be a bad mission when his chute didn’t open and it had taken him a panicked second to remember to pull the ripcord. Things just seemed to be getting worse.

“Think you can get your hands on more medicine?” he asked the pickpocket.

“Sure, Mate,” said Goniff. “We get the uniforms first and then find a doctor’s office.”

The sun was just coming up when they reached the town. Businesses were not open yet and the men who were up and about were heading for the local cafes to get an early breakfast. Chief drove carefully along the side streets until Goniff spotted a laundry. The pickpocket tapped Chief’s arm with a grin and pointed. Chief found the alley that went behind the building and pulled into it. Both men got out of the car, Chief standing guard while Goniff picked the simple lock on the back door. Casino would have done it faster, but the second story man was no slouch with an easy lock.

It didn’t take the Englishman long to select the appropriate clean uniforms from the rack of clothes awaiting pick up. He took a few more to prevent identification of what ranks they were after. The extras would be left at the safe house for the Resistance to pick up for their own use. Miraculously, there was a row of shiny jackboots lined up close to the door. Arms laden with uniforms, Goniff scurried back to the alley. The uniforms were deposited in the back seat, with Chief taking his and quickly changing clothes. Now he was a German corporal. In the meantime, Goniff made another trip to get as many pairs of boots as he could carry. The Resistance would be grateful for the supply of leather, which was a scarce commodity. 

They located a doctor’s office a couple streets over. Again, Chief stood watch as Goniff slipped a knife blade between the two windows and worked the lock open. He was inside in a flash. On the far wall, a tall, white metal cabinet with glass doors held an assortment of bottles and vials. Goniff found the aspirin right off and pocketed that bottle. The sulfa was on another shelf and that bottle went into the other pocket. An inner glassed compartment had vials of morphine. Thinking that might come in handy if the Warden’s leg started bothering him, Goniff popped that compartment open with the knife blade and helped himself to the morphine. The precious vials were wrapped in a handkerchief before being added to a pocket. 

Chief was getting nervous because Goniff seemed to be taking too long and hissed through the window at him. Goniff just waved a hand back at him and reached into a drawer, loading his other pockets with packages of gauze sponges and roller gauze. Satisfied with his take, the Englishman closed the glass doors of the cabinet and scurried over to the window. He hopped through without any difficulty and pulled the windows back together.

Now Goniff got behind the wheel of the car, leaving Chief on foot. 

“I’ll meet you back at the safe house,” said Chief.

“You sure you’ll be all right?” asked Goniff.

“No problem,” replied the Indian confidently. “You need to get outta here before it starts gettin’ busy. You don’t need to get stopped.”

Goniff figured the younger man was right. Besides, Actor would be needing the medicine for the Warden. He started the car and when he turned for a last look at the Indian, Chief had disappeared.  
Chief walked back out to the street. He casually made his way down the sidewalk to a busier section of town where he remembered seeing a restaurant. Apparently, the food was good because there seemed to be a lot of Wehrmacht and SS officers going in. A Sturmbannfȕhrer got out of a large sedan. Chief smiled to himself and watched. As soon as the officer went into the restaurant, the corporal drove the vehicle down the street and parked it. Wanting his own breakfast, the corporal left the car and went down a side alley to get food from the back of the restaurant. The Indian ambled casually on a diagonal across the street to the car. A quick look inside showed him the key still in the ignition. After a casual look around, Chief got in and drove away.

Goniff reached the safe house well before Chief. He parked the sedan behind the building where it had been before and gathered the clothes up in his arms. Casino was on the porch when he came around and opened the door for him.

“Warden’s really givin’ Actor a hard time,” warned the safecracker.

Goniff shook his head and went inside. He was dropping the uniforms and boots in a pile on the sofa when Actor came from the bedroom. Goniff noticed the prominence of the lines at the corners of the con man’s eyes. He wasn’t smiling either. Casino apparently was right about the Warden giving the man a bad time.

Actor stepped over to the sofa and perused the clothing. “Any problems?”

“Not a one, Mate,” replied Goniff.

“Chief still out?”

“Yeah. ‘E told me to get back ‘ere.” Goniff sent a glance at the door to the bedroom. “’Ow’s ‘e doin’?”

Actor shook his head. “The fever is still high, and he is increasingly confused and paranoid.”

“Well,” said Goniff, “we made a little side trip and got some things for you.”

Actor watched curiously as the blond man reached for his coat pockets. He chided himself for not being observant enough to notice the Englishman’s pockets were bulging. The right corner of his mouth turned up as he was handed the medicine. Goniff followed him into the bedroom and put the dressing supplies atop a low chest of drawers.

Actor took the bottles of pills over beside the bed. Goniff stopped by the foot of the bed to watch. The con man dumped some aspirin and another sulfa tablet in his hand and moved closer to the man on the bed. Garrison eyed him with glazed eyes in a flushed face. The look narrowed as Actor came closer.

“Here, Warden,” said Actor in a friendly tone. “Here is more aspirin for you.” He held his hand out with the medicine and picked up the water glass with his other hand.

Garrison’s hand shot out trying to slap Actor’s open palm away. The con man was able to close fingers around the pills but spilled some of the water from the glass.

“You’re trying to poison me again!” accused the young officer loudly.

“No one is trying to poison you, Lieutenant,” soothed Actor. “This is just more of the medicine for your fever.”

Goniff could tell by the overly patient tone of the Italian’s voice that this conversation had been repeating itself all night. He put on his brightest smile and walked up to stand between Actor and the bed. 

“’Ey, Warden,” he said in his cheeriest voice. “You feelin’ any better?”

Garrison eyed him warily. 

“’Ow about a little medicine to bring your fever down?”

Goniff’s hand touched Actor’s and the pills were stealthily transferred to the pickpocket. Goiff continued to smile encouragingly at Garrison. Craig studied him, but a bit less warily than he had the con man. The Cockney picked up the lieutenant’s hand and dropped the pills into his palm. “’Ere you go, Warden, some nice aspirin and sulfa. Make you feel right as rain in a jiffy.”

Garrison looked a bit uncertain, but the bright smile of the gamin blond man put him a little at ease, and he put the pills in his mouth. Goniff’s smile got bigger. He slipped a hand under the ill man’s neck and helped him lift his head. The water glass was placed in his hand from behind and he held it for Garrison to drink. When Craig had drank his fill and the pills were down, Goniff eased him back down.

“Why don’t you take a nice nap now,” encouraged the pickpocket. “You’ll feel better when you wake up.”

“Just keep that Italian bastardo away from me,” growled Garrison, before passing out again.

Goniff shot a sharp look at Actor. The con man’s face was still. “I thought the Warden didn’t speak much Italian? That mean the same in English?”

“Yes,” said Actor without emotion.

“Guess ‘e ain’t forgotten ‘ow to swear,” said Goniff.

Actor wrung out a cloth that was soaking in a basin of water and laid it across the Lieutenant’s forehead. He looked down at the flushed face and frowned. Hopefully this aspirin would have more effect. Actor turned and followed Goniff out of the bedroom.  
Goniff stopped in the middle of the floor and looked up at the taller man. “’E don’t mean it, Actor,” he said.

“I am aware of that,” replied Actor a little sharper than intended. The crestfallen look on the pickpocket’s face caused him to soften his voice. “I know that. It’s the fever. Thank you, Goniff.”

“Sure, Mate,” smiled the slight man. 

Actor walked over to the table and turned the cloth back over a plate of cheese. He took the knife that rested beside the cheese and cut off a small wedge. He put the knife back and re-covered the cheese. Placing the wedge in his mouth, he reached for a corked bottle of wine. Pulling the cork out, he poured a half of a small glass of the Bordeaux and recorked the bottle. Taking the glass with him, he walked to the far end of the table, set the glass down and retrieved a packet of folded papers from the inside pocket of the jacket he had draped over the back of the chair. Actor sat down and spread the papers out in front of him, taking a sip of the mediocre wine.

“Goniff, do you think you can manage the Warden while the rest of us try to retrieve the papers we were sent after?” Actor’s tone was not demeaning. He was trying to assess the pickpocket’s confidence in handling the situation alone.

“Sure,” replied Goniff, not taking offense. “I’m not as intimidating as you. Maybe ‘e won’t be so bad with me.”

Actor looked up at that. Goniff shrugged. Well, they both knew the Italian could be intimidating by sheer size alone.

A short time later, Chief returned and parked the car behind the house. He came in and looked at the two men in the front room.

“How’s the Warden?” he asked right away.

“No better,” replied Actor. “Any problems?”

“Naw. Got a nice, big closed car.” He smiled his half-smile. “Tank’s full o’ gas.”

“Good,” said Actor. He turned to Goniff. “Could you relieve Casino and have him come in. We need to go over the plan.”

Actor got up and checked on Garrison. The ill man was tossing restlessly on the bed, muttering, face still flushed. Chief watched from the doorway as Actor wet the cloth again and laid it back on the man’s forehead. It wasn’t going to stay long. 

Casino came in, laid his handgun on the table and shrugged out of his jacket, tossing it on the sofa. He flipped the cloth back off the food and cut a chunk of cheese and a bigger chunk of bread. Palming both, he tossed the cloth back over the food and picked up the bottle of wine. There was very little left, so he just pulled the cork out with his teeth, spit it on the table and took a swig from the bottle. As Actor returned to the room, Casino pushed a chair over to the far corner of the table, slouched in it and crossed his booted feet atop the table. Chief just looked at him in disgust and took the opposite chair.

Actor sat down in his seat and smoothed the papers before him.

“Okay, so now what’re we doin’?” asked the safecracker.

The Italian got down to business. “I am now Standartenführer Kleinschmidt and Casino is Leutnant Brünner. Chief will be our driver.” They went over every detail four times until they had it down as well as the previous plan that had included Garrison.   
For the rest of the day, Goniff, Chief and Casino took turns on watch and catching cat naps while Actor reviewed the plans and kept a close eye on the Lieutenant. The latter entailed the suave, aristocratic confidence man being cursed in English, French, occasionally German, and a few words in Italian. Actor mused he had not been sworn at so much since leaving Alcatraz. Though he would never admit it and knew it was the fever talking, Actor felt bad that the cursing was directed at him by the man he had grown to respect and consider a friend. It also bothered him his teammates could not help but hear the officer’s ranting.

As it grew closer to the supper hour when they would try to access the German major’s empty office and full safe, the three men who were going on the raid began to change into German uniform. Garrison had gone into a deep sleep or unconscious state. Actor was able to get into his uniform in the bedroom and sat down at the little table across the room from the bed to put on his disguise. The officer he was impersonating had a mustache and wore glasses. The confidence man was just finishing applying the mustache when Garrison awakened.

“Damn you! I was right!”

Actor swung around in his chair to look at the man trying to stay up on one elbow. Garrison’s face was contorted in anger, eyes blazing, face flushed, body shaking.

“You’ve gone over to the Germans! What is it? Did they pay you enough to turn you?”

The other men came to the door and looked in, watching from a safe distance.

“No one has gone over to the Germans, Lieutenant,” said Actor in a calm and reasonable voice, though his insides were quivering as they had not done in years. “You have seen me in German uniform many times. You have worn one yourself as many times as I have. It is a disguise so we may complete the mission we were sent here for.”

Garrison tried to rise up from the bed.

“You’re lying! I’m going to kill you, you son of a bitch!”

“Jeez, Warden!” exclaimed Casino. “Knock it off.” He had heard Garrison swear before, but it was never directed at any of them.

Actor made a sharp motion at the safecracker to back off. He stood and slowly walked toward the bed. Garrison was trying to get up, with the certain intent of attacking the Italian.

“Lieutenant, stay down,” continued Actor in the calm voice. “You have been shot in the leg. If you stand up, you will open the wound up. Everything is all right. We are going to complete the mission and return to England. Lay back down and rest. You are very ill.”

Garrison came partway off the bed. “It’ll be all right when I get my hands on you, you damn traitor!”

Actor leapt forward to keep him from standing on the leg. Craig went for the con man’s throat with the intention of ripping it out. Chief and Casino flew across the room. Chief threw himself across Garrison’s legs, bringing a cry of pain from the man at the sudden pressure on the thigh wound. Casino dropped across the officer’s torso, pinning his arms with his body. The safecracker’s forearm went up under Garrison’s chin, forcing his head back.

“Careful, Casino!” warned Actor sharply.

“I know what I’m doin’,” grunted Casino.

“You may, but he doesn’t!”

Though it was a struggle, the two men kept the grappling officer pinned down.

“Ain’t no way Goniff’s gonna be able to handle him,” said Chief with certainty. 

They all knew, even in Garrison’s weaker state, he could still easily overpower the slighter second story man.

Actor came to a quick decision. “Hold him,” he ordered the two men.

“Like we’re gonna let go of him?” shot back Casino.

Actor went to the low dresser and got out a morphine styrette. He returned to the bed. This he did not wish to do, but there was no alternative. “Chief, hold his arm down straight.”

The Indian cocked an elbow up and grabbed the man’s wrist, forcing his arm straight and down into the bed. “Jeez, he’s strong!”

“Yes,” agreed Actor, absently. He took a tight hold of Garrison’s forearm and held it steady as he slipped the needle of the styrette into the corded vein that bulged up inside of the lieutenant’s elbow. Actor injected the entire amount of morphine. The rush of opiate caused the fighting man to suddenly relax and go limp. There was silence in the room. Casino and Chief cautiously released their grips on the Lieutenant and got off of him. All three men were breathing heavily and watching the supine man warily. As Garrison remained unconscious, they all relaxed.

“You okay?” Casino asked Actor.

“Yes,” Actor nodded. Outside, he seemed calm. Inside, his nerves were starting to fray. “Let us get this over with,” he said grimly.

They brought Goniff in. Actor gave him strict instructions how to administer more morphine if Garrison started to awaken before they returned. They did not tell the normally nervous man what had just happened for fear of terrifying him being left alone with the Lieutenant.

As the three men in German uniform started for the door, Casino said pessimistically, “Okay, now let’s see what’s gonna go wrong next.”


	2. Chapter 2

The big Mercedes-Benz pulled smoothly to the curb in front of the grey building that housed the regional headquarters of the Abwehr. Two guards with rifles flanked the door at the top of the steps. 

Casino glanced out of the side window of the back passenger door at the huge red banner with the swastika that draped down the front of the building from the roof. He wasn’t happy. They were spread thin. Why the damned Italian insisted on completing this mission was beyond him. He was for cutting and running, but they were already past the point of no return, so to speak. Putting on a severe expression, the safecracker opened his door, and held it for the Standartenführer.

Actor got out and straightened his shoulders, head up, the familiar sneer on his lips. He stepped forward decisively, Casino behind him. Chief was out of the car and closing the back door. He moved quickly ahead up the steps to open the door for the SS colonel and the Leutnant. Actor swept in, the safecracker two steps behind him. Chief took up the rear.

Jackboot heels sounded sharply on the marble floor in the hall that was empty except for a single guard at a small table. The corporal leapt to attention at sight of the SS colonel and his entourage. 

“I am here to see Major Hochmeyer,” said Actor. He ignored the corporal and concentrated on removing his gloves.

The German soldier had eyes only for the lightning runes on the officer’s collar and the death skull on the hat. “I’m – I’m sorry Herr Standartenführer. Major Hochmeyer is not here. He has gone out for supper.”

“Then I shall wait for him to return. Wo ist sein Büro?” Actor’s voice held annoyance at the delay.

“The – the second hall on the left, second door on the right, Sir,” stuttered the hapless man.

“Schlüssel!” demanded Actor, hand outstretched, fingers beckoning demandingly.

The corporal pulled open the drawer on his table and handed a key to the con man. “May I see your papers, Sir?” he asked timidly.

Actor fixed him with the outraged glare that generally had the effect of making the underling he was addressing quiver in fear. Casino always had a hard time maintaining a stern expression whenever the con man did it. 

The German corporal’s right arm flashed stiffly outward. “Heil Hitler.”

Actor graced him with a ‘you had better back down’ look before absently waving his right hand in response. Totally ignoring the guard now, he strode off down the hall, Casino behind and to his right and Chief again bringing up the rear.

The second hall on the left was conveniently empty. The Germans were nothing if not methodical. Supper was at a certain hour and they kept to that routine. Actor handed the key to Casino who opened the door. Once inside, the safecracker grumbled in a low voice to Actor, “Yuh just had to get a key. Couldn’t let me pick the lock, could yuh?”

“No, but I am letting you open the safe, if you can,” the irritated Italian hissed back.

“I can open it, Babe. Unless you wanna try?”

“Casino, we do not have time for this. Just do it.” Actor was trying to contain the edgy feeling he had about this caper.

Chief took up a station at the door, while Actor made sure the blackout curtains were closed and turned on the desk lamp.

Casino located the wall safe. For once it was behind a tapestry instead of the usual portrait of Hitler. He had the safe open in less than a minute and pulled out the papers, handing them to Actor. While the con man flipped through the orders and intelligence, the safecracker was stuffing currency and velvet sacks into his shirt. Actor nodded that the papers were the correct ones. 

Chief suddenly snapped his fingers. Actor looked up sharply while shoving the papers inside his tunic. Casino froze at the safe. The door opened and the major stormed in, eyes going to the tall SS officer and then to the Leutnant with the open safe behind him.

“Was . . .?” the German started to demand what was going on.

Chief stepped from behind the door, arm raised with the intent of delivering a blow to the man’s neck with the edge of his hand. Sensing movement, the major shifted just enough for Chief to deliver a glancing blow. The major spun around, reaching for the gun in the holster at his side. Actor was on him in two strides. A long arm went around the officer’s neck and Actor gave a sharp twist and sideways jerk to the head. The spine cracked loudly and the major slid limply to the floor.

Casino shut the safe and spun the dial, allowing the tapestry to drop back in place. Actor lifted the dead man’s torso under the arms while Chief grabbed his legs. With a jerk of his head to indicate direction, Actor led Chief with the body behind the desk. Casino swung the tall-backed desk chair around so it faced away from the door. The body was placed in the chair, head carefully positioned upright against the back.

Chief was back at the door, checking the hall. It was still empty. He nodded to Actor. The con man took a breath, smoothed his uniform, and gave a nod back. The three men left the office, locking and closing the door behind them. With the same expressions and bearings as before, they strode past the guard. 

The German corporal made an attempt to speak to Chief, but that young man was hurrying around to open the door for the two officers. They were outside before the guard could do anything.

The three went to the car and Chief drove slowly away so as not to attract undo attention. Once out of town, he sped up.

“Man,” said Casino angrily. “Those better be the right papers. This mission just keeps going from bad to worse.”

“They are the correct papers,” acknowledged Actor. “They will make Allied Command very happy.”

“Now we just gotta get the Warden outta here,” remarked Chief.

“That oughta be fun,” grumbled the safecracker.

Actor was silent. He figured it was going to be anything but fun. It already wasn’t. In his mind he could still hear the sound of the Major’s neck snapping. He had seen Garrison do it often enough and had practiced on dummies, but this was the first time he had actually done it. For the most part, confidence men did not kill or injure anyone. They relied on their wits and acting abilities to achieve their goals. Since the Lieutenant had arranged his release from prison, Actor had killed many men and almost been killed many times. There was a certain adrenaline rush to it all, but it was one the con man figured he could be just as happy without.

They reached the safe house without incident. Casino took up the watch while Actor and Chief hurried inside. 

Goniff stood at the door to the bedroom, gun in hand. He watched Chief start grabbing their bags. Something must have gone wrong.

“How is the Lieutenant?” asked Actor starting toward the bedroom.

“’E woke up,” replied the Englishman. “I gave ‘im the morphine like you showed me before ‘e got too lively.”

“Good,” said Actor, moving to the bed and checking the ill man. “We must leave now. We left a dead officer behind. They will be after us.”

“Bloody ‘ell, can’t anything go right?” whined the pickpocket. 

Actor grabbed his makeup kit and the medicine, putting them into his bag. There were only a few styrettes of the precious morphine left. At the rate they were using it on the young officer, Garrison would be an addict before they reached the shores of England. That is if they could get their hands on more of the drug when they ran out. He handed the bag to Goniff.

Chief had put the other bags in the trunk of the car and returned to the house. He hurried into the bedroom. Goniff passed him going out with Actor’s bag. 

“Take his legs,” said Actor.

The con man was trying to pull Garrison’s body around so he could get a good hold of him under the arms. Chief stepped up and lifted the Warden’s legs. It was a good thing the man was unconscious because the Indian didn’t think this kind of movement would feel too good on that bullet wound. He looked up at the tall Italian.

“Actor,” he said.

“What?” The con man looked up.

Chief was a little self-conscious. “Thanks for saving my hide.”

Actor paused. “You have saved mine more than once.” He left it at that. “Come. Let’s get him out of here.” 

They hefted the man and took him out to the car. Dead weight, the Lieutenant was heavy and both men strained to move him. Goniff got in the back first and helped pull Garrison in. Casino climbed in afterwards, so they were in the same position as when they had first arrived at the safe house. Actor and Chief got in the front. The Italian gave directions to Chief and they drove away.

Casino had to ask, “Hey, Actor, we get stopped this ain’t gonna look too good. Can you con us outta this one?”

Actor thought about it and decided to be truthful for once. “I doubt it.”

“Lovely,” said Goniff. “We’re sittin’ ducks.”

“You wanna leave the Warden behind?” asked Chief irritably.

“Not a chance, Mate,” the slight man shot back.

Using Garrison’s hand torch and the map, Actor directed Chief on a zig zag route in the cover of darkness toward the rendezvous point. They had to stop once around midnight so Actor could administer another dose of morphine.

It was close to three in the morning when they rolled through a small town. Actor spotted three canvas-sided supply trucks sitting unattended in front of a warehouse down a side street.

“Chief?” he asked.

“I see ‘em,” said the Indian. He pulled over to the curb two blocks down the road, leaving the engine running. “Meet you a mile past town,” he said, getting out of the car.

Actor slid over behind the wheel, stifling the urge to admonish the younger man to be careful. The Indian melted into the shadows and disappeared from view. Actor set the vehicle rolling and slowly drove away. Almost a mile from town, he pulled off the road behind some large bushes and trees.

Casino got out and waited by the road, watching for the truck. In the meantime, Actor knelt in the back of the car, checking on the Lieutenant’s progress. The man was still uncomfortably warm to the touch. The morphine was keeping him sedated.

“’E’s not gettin’ any better is he?” remarked Goniff.

“Not yet,” replied Actor.

“So, you think the fevers are somethin’ ‘e picked up in North Africa?” chattered the Cockney.

“Most likely,” agreed Actor. “I have read there is a lot of malaria and some soldiers have been getting recurrent fevers that do not respond to the quinine.”

Goniff looked down at the man who was still propped against him in the back of the car. “You know, ‘e’s a good bloke for all ‘is army ways. ‘E can be ‘ard on us, but ‘e always covers our backs. Nobody’s ever stuck up for me like ‘e does.”

Actor could barely see Garrison’s flushed face in the dim light of the shielded hand torch he was using. He couldn’t admit even to himself how much the Warden’s accusations bothered him, even though he knew it was the fever talking. He just wondered if that was what the man really was feeling about him. And then he wondered why he cared so much what the young lieutenant thought of him.

“Yes, he is a good man,” agreed Actor.

He turned off the torch and backed out of the car; away from Garrison and away from the chatter of the pickpocket who was touching on things Actor did not wish to discuss. As he straightened, he heard the low rumble of a truck approaching. He snapped fingers at Goniff. They both pulled their guns out.

The truck stopped close by, engine idling. A few seconds later, it pulled around behind the car, Casino riding on the step. Actor put his gun away with relief he did not show. Casino jumped off the step and walked back toward the road to watch for a tail.  
Chief climbed down from the cab. “This suit you, Actor?” he asked the con man with a grin. “And even better, I found one with a stretcher in the back.”

Actor gave a crooked grin. “It suits me just fine, Chief.” 

He walked to the back of the truck with the Indian and they lowered the tailgate. There was indeed a stretcher folded up on the floor of the vehicle. The two men got it out and carried it over to the car. Between the three cons, they got Garrison out of the car and onto the stretcher. Actor and Chief took the ends and loaded the sick man into the back of the truck. Goniff leapt agilely onto the tailgate and pulled the stretcher farther into the darkness. He sat down beside Garrison’s head.

The three other men quickly unloaded their bags from the trunk of the car and piled them into the back of the truck. The car was hidden behind some trees and bushes; and the gas siphoned off into jerry cans that were also secured in the back of the truck. Casino hauled himself into the back and the tailgate was raised and secured behind him. Chief went around one side of the truck and Actor the other, both climbing into the cab. Chief started the big engine up and put the truck in gear. He slowly backed up, trying not to be jerky with the shifting and disturb the Warden. It was a long drive to their pick-up point.

GGG

The sun was well up and they had traveled a couple hundred kilometers when Actor had Chief pull over behind some trees where they would not be seen. They needed a break and the confidence man needed to check on Garrison. Chief walked back toward the road to watch for any pursuers. Actor unhooked the chains on either end of the tailgate and lowered it. Casino jumped down and stretched. The long ride on the floor of the truck was hard on bones and muscles. The Englishman stayed inside so someone was with Garrison. He wiggled around a bit to try to stretch his legs. This brought him a little closer to the ill man.

“How is he?” asked Actor.

Casino shook his head. “About the same. You got any more water? We’re out back here.”

Actor nodded and turned to get the last canteen from the cab of the truck. Casino caught movement from the corner of his eye and turned his head to check it out. Garrison had reared up as far as he could. He grabbed Goniff’s gun and then shoved the little thief out of the way, bringing the gun to bear on the Italian. Instinctively Casino lunged at Actor, tackling the bigger man above the knees to bring him down. Goniff threw himself on the Lieutenant’s arm as the gun discharged. Casino felt the bullet ruffle the hair on the back of his head as he landed on top of the backs of the con man’s legs. Goniff wrestled the gun away from Garrison and shrank back against the far canvas siding, out of the wild man’s reach. 

Casino rolled onto his knees, breathing hard. He looked up at Goniff, then at Garrison. Without taking his eyes off the delirious man he said to the con man, “You alright?”

Actor rolled over and nodded to the safecracker. “You?”

Casino nodded. He looked at the con man. The man’s face was still; the only sign of his reaction was the circle of white that rimmed the hazel irises.

Still looking at each other, they both heard the angry voice of their Lieutenant. “Dammit, give me that gun! I’m going to kill him! He went over to the Krauts!”

“Warden . . .” objected Goniff in a pleading whine, backing as far away as he could get.

Before Actor could reach his feet, Casino was up, temper raging. The safecracker jumped up into the back of the truck and walked over to the wild man.

“All right, that’s enough!” he said. He knelt down beside Garrison. They had run out of morphine long ago. “Sorry, Warden. Time to go night, night.” Casino’s hard fist connected with the man’s chin, knocking him unconscious.

Chief came running up, knife ready. “What happened?”

Goniff stared, wide eyed, at the con man. “I’m sorry, Actor. ’Owed I know ‘e was gonna do that?”

Actor tried to maintain control of his emotions. He held up a hand to check the Cockney’s apology; relieved to see his order was obeyed and that his hand did not tremble. With calmness he did not feel, he added, “From now on, whoever is watching him will not carry a weapon.”

“I got him,” said Casino.

“Let’s get out of here,” said Actor to Chief. “Someone is sure to have heard that shot.”

Chief trotted around to the driver’s side. Actor raised and secured the tailgate, pausing long enough to look at Casino.”

“Thank you,” he said.

“Don’t mention it,” replied the safecracker.

Actor went to the cab and climbed in. Chief was silent, backing the truck up and heading on down the road. After a bit, the Indian glanced at Actor. A muscle was twitching in his jaw, the only sign the big man was bothered.

“He took a shot at you?” asked Chief, incredulously.

Actor nodded.

“You okay?”

“Fine.”

Chief knew that was a con. Funny, the more Actor hung around with the Warden, the more alike they sounded. He wondered why the lieutenant seemed to be singling the Italian out in his paranoid delirium. Sure, there were times the confidence man was annoying, but not enough to warrant Garrison trying to kill him . . . twice. Besides, Actor really wasn’t such a bad guy. He had never talked down to Chief or called him names. And the older man was helping him learn reading and writing without letting the others know.

Actor sat silently. He was trying not to think about the unbelievable fact that Garrison had again tried to kill him. The first time was almost understandable. Dressed in a German officer’s uniform and getting inside the man’s comfort zone might have been threatening to the confused man. But this time, he hadn’t even been close to Garrison. 

Pushing those thoughts aside, Actor pulled the packet of papers from inside his tunic. As he was now in charge, he felt that gave him the right to see just what it was that was so important to Allied Command. The more he read, the more he understood. There were memos addressed to Hitler that outlined the accompanying proposed strategy for the invasion of the southern part of France that was presently under the control of the Vichy French government. 

They rumbled along for another two hours. So far there had been no roadblocks, but their luck could not last. They topped a hill and saw a horse-drawn wagon stopped behind an open staff car down below at a barricade. There were two guards with machine guns and an officer with another soldier checking the car. Chief slowed to a stop and looked to Actor for instructions. The con man motioned him on with a wave of fingers and a nod. Actor rapped on the back of the cab with his fist to alert the two in the back.  
Casino exchanged worried looks with Goniff. “Must be a roadblock. I knew we couldn’t get through without getting’ stopped.”

They both turned eyes to the lieutenant who was not fully conscious.

Goniff was frowning. “Wot do we do if the Warden wakes up and starts talking English?”

Casino shook his head. “We can’t let him.”

“Well you can’t ruddy ‘it ‘im again,” said the little thief.

Casino shrugged. A conniving grin came to his face. “No, but we can keep him from talkin’.”

The safecracker pulled a handkerchief from his pants pocket and set about gagging the officer.

Goniff shook his head. “Yeah, great. Now what if the bleedin’ Jerries decide to look back here? What are they going to say when they see ‘im gagged?”

Casino looked at him fatalistically. “If they do, we’re dead anyway. It’ll mean Actor couldn’t talk his way outta it.”

The truck moved forward and the two became quiet. In the front, Actor and Chief watched two more soldiers stabbing bayoneted rifles into the mound of hay in the back of the wagon. The Indian shot a quick glance at the con man. Actor was sitting, appearing slightly irritated by the delay, a freshly lit cigarette between his fingers. The wagon was motioned on, and Chief let the truck roll up to take its place.


	3. Chapter 3

One of the Wehrmacht soldiers at the roadblock climbed on the running board beside Chief and looked in the cab, demanding to see their papers. Chief ignored him and looked straight ahead. Actor leaned forward and fixed the soldier with a steely glare, spitting out an order in the same language to let them through. The soldier saw the lightning runes and turned to the major who was below him. In annoyance, the officer walked around in front of the truck to Actor’s window. Chief had one hand on the wheel and the other on the shift stick in case they had to try to make a run for it. He listened to the Italian and the major exchanging sharp guttural words in German, Actor arrogantly demanding in his demeanor. They seemed to be at an impasse, when Actor suddenly changed his tune. He smiled evilly and said something overly polite to the major, motioning him to go to the back of the truck. Chief tensed, wondering what the confidence man was doing. The major hesitated and then motioned angrily for the barrier to be lifted. Chief didn’t have to be told to drive on. He put it in gear and drove forward.

He waited until they were a mile or so down the road before shooting another look at Actor. The con man was sitting, deceptively calm, finishing up his cigarette.

“Okay, Actor,” said the Indian. “I gotta know. What was all that?”

“I informed the good major we are transporting a seriously ill colonel to Paris, that I am SS, and he was to let us through.” Actor shrugged. “He was being insistent on seeing our papers or the colonel. I told him he could go to the back and speak with the colonel, but the doctors in Limoges said he was highly contagious, and they did not know what to do for him. If the major wished to take the risk to his own health, he was free to see the colonel.”

“Didn’t he ask why we don’t have an ambulance?”

Actor was impressed with the Indian’s grasp of the details. At an earlier time in their working relationship, he doubted Chief would have even given it a thought. “He asked,” replied the Italian. “I told him a large offensive was being planned for southern France and the Reich was redistributing its troops and supplies.”

Chief grinned. “You make that up?”

“No,” said Actor. “That is why we must get these papers to Allied Command.”

Chief shook his head in admiration. He didn’t know how the con man did it, but it sure worked. He continued driving. 

In the back of the truck, the two cons breathed a sigh of relief. Casino removed the gag from the Warden’s mouth, wet it with water from the canteen and placed it over the heated man’s forehead.

“I don’t know ‘ow he does that,” said Goniff nodding toward the front of the cab.

“That’s why he’s Actor and we’re not,” said Casino with grudging respect.

North of Tours, instead of turning right for Paris, they turned left to head for their pick up location outside of Rennes. By the time they reached the safe house in the early afternoon, Garrison was restless and both men in the back were busy trying to keep him down. They were relieved to pull off the road and into the safety of the yard around the safe house. The lieutenant was getting a little loud at times and all he was speaking was English.

The two in the front sat for a moment, looking at the ‘safe house.’ It was little more than a rustic wooden building on the verge of collapse. Part of the roof had a huge hole. 

“That looks real sturdy,” drawled Chief. “And there’s weather comin’.”

Actor looked sharply at the Indian. “Tonight?”

“Feels like it.” Chief looked back at Actor. “Hope that plane shows up.”

“So do I,” said Actor.

They got out and walked to the back of the truck. The sounds of someone thrashing around and muttering could be easily heard.

“Dammit, Warden, knock it off.! We’re tryin’ to help you.”

Goniff pushed the curtain back and rolled his eyes at Actor and Chief. “’E’d never make it as a ruddy nurse,” said the Cockney referring to Casino.

“He is no better I see,” Actor said to the safecracker.

Garrison heard the voice and even in his demented state, recognized it. “Where is that son of a . . . “

The words were cut off sharply as Casino slapped a hand over the Lieutenant’s mouth. This only caused Garrison to struggle harder.

“Ouch!” exclaimed the safecracker. “You bite me, Babe, and I may have to clock you one on the other side to make it even.”

“Casino!” objected Actor irritably. “Threatening the man is not going to help him any. Get off of him and allow him to calm down. He isn’t able to go very far if he does try.”

Casino slowly eased up and removed his hand from over Garrison’s mouth. Even in the dim light under the canvas truck cover, the safecracker was able to see the malevolent gleam in the wild eyes looking up at him. “Easy, Babe,” Casino said as he backed away and got to his feet. 

The four cons convened at the back of the truck. Each kept a judicious eye on their leader. Garrison had settled down after spending his waning energy fighting Casino. 

“So, what’s the plan?” asked Goniff.

“Is there a plan?” Casino asked with a touch of his usual sarcasm.

“There is a plan,” assured Actor. “I will go into the village and contact the Resistance. The contact was to be between four and four-thirty, but we need medicine. I will have to try to make the contact early.”

“You know the password?” asked Chief dubiously.

Actor nodded. Maybe it had been God, divine providence, the druids, the Italian didn’t know what, but Garrison had picked this mission to finally trust his second with the entire plan after the briefing. Until this time, the Lieutenant had always kept the passwords and the contacts to himself.

The tall man reviewed the plan aloud. “For now, we will move the Warden into the building. Chief, you will drive me as close to the village as we can get, and I will walk the rest of the way in. You will return and put the Lieutenant back in the truck where he is safe if it rains.” 

“How you gonna get back,” asked Chief with a frown.

“If I cannot get a ride from one of the Resistance, then I will have to steal a car.” Actor turned to Casino. “Do you still have a set of skeleton keys?”

The look Casino gave Actor was that of indulging an idiot. “Why don’t you just take me with you? Hot cars is not one of your specialties.”

Actor replied with the same air, “Because our contact is expecting Garrison, not me. It could be very dangerous.”

“Oh, and sitting with him ain’t?” Casino nodded toward the sick man.  
“Besides,” said Chief, cocking a look at the Italian. “If you go in alone and they take you, we won’t know it and we won’t know where you are to come get you out.”

Actor looked at each of them in turn. “If I am taken, you three will take the Lieutenant and the papers and make your way to the coast. You know where some of our contacts are in the coastal towns. The priority is the safety of Garrison and getting the papers to Allied Command.”

“Sorry, Beautiful, that ain’t the way we work, and you know it,” said Casino.

The two men exchanged hard looks. Actor wondered why the safecracker couldn’t just for once follow his orders. The safe cracker turned up a corner of his mouth in a cocky grin. He knew he had Actor on this one. The con man was just a little slow catching on.

“I’m goin’ with you.”

Actor eyed him, realized he would, and nodded. “Okay.”

The other two grinned at Casino getting Actor to concede. Suddenly, Goniff’s face fell.

“’Ey, wait a minute!” he objected. “If you three are going to the village, that means I’m ‘ere alone with the Warden. What if somebody comes? We’re dead.”

That was always a possibility no matter what they were doing. Actor smiled reassuringly at the Cockney. “Goniff, Chief will return as soon as possible. It shouldn’t take long.”

“Yeah, that’s wot you say,” grumbled the little pickpocket.

They went about getting Garrison situated in the most sheltered part of the building. Casino and Actor changed from their German uniforms into the peasant clothes they had jumped in at the beginning of the mission. Chief stayed in his German uniform for the drive back alone in a German vehicle. He managed to get the truck within a mile of the village to drop off Actor and Casino.

GGG

Actor entered the butcher shop. Casino remained outside, slouched against the wall, smoking a cigarette and keeping an eye out for anything suspicious. As time passed by, the safecracker cast an eye into the shop. Actor was engaged in a long conversation with the butcher. There was a benign smile on the con man’s face and a cautious one on the butcher’s. After what seemed like forever to the man waiting on the sidewalk, Actor emerged from the shop. With hardly a glance at the safecracker, Actor started walking casually down the sidewalk. Casino followed, catching up to him in a few steps. They walked together in silence until they reached a place where there were no passersby.

“Where we goin’?” asked Casino in a low voice.

“To the doctor’s office to get medicine for our ill sister,” was the reply.

Casino didn’t think he and Actor looked anything alike. “You couldn’t come up with a better one than that?”

“I didn’t ‘come up with it’,” replied the con man.

They continued on, turning right down a side street and left on the next street. Actor stopped in front of a non-descript building and looked up at a sign fastened to the door. It read ‘Docteur Baudier’. Casino ambled at an angle across the street to take up a position, leaning against the corner of a building at the entrance to an alley, where he had a good view of the office and the rest of the street. Actor climbed the steps and went inside.

After twenty minutes, Casino was beginning to get worried. However, no police or military came around. Another ten minutes passed before Actor came out. The tall man crossed the street and the two set off down the block.

“Get what you need?” asked Casino quietly.

“Yes,” replied Actor.

“I need to find us some wheels?” asked the safecracker.

Actor nodded. “Not too gaudy.”

They went down two more streets before Casino spotted a likely vehicle in an alley. Actor took up Casino’s previous stance at the corner of the building and lit a cigarette. He barely had a second puff before a dented, paint peeling sedan pulled up alongside him. Actor quickly got in the passenger seat. 

“Will it run that far?” asked Actor dubiously. He wrinkled his nose at the odor of stale cigarette smoke, stale beer, sausage and urine. He sincerely hoped it wasn’t coming from his side of the seat.

“No problem, Babe,” assured the safecracker with a grin. 

Casino kept to the back streets until they came to the edge of town. As they drove back to the safe house, a German open car approached front the other direction. Actor slouched down in the seat, trying to make himself a little less conspicuous. Casino drove past with a bored look on his face. Once they were past, he glanced in the rearview mirror. The other vehicle did not slow down.

They pulled into the yard of the safe house as it was becoming dusk. Casino pulled the car around behind the dilapidated building and parked beside the truck. Goniff stepped out of the woods and joined them as they came around to the front of the building.  
“Where’s Chief?” asked Actor.

“’E’s inside feeding some concoction to the Warden,” replied the pickpocket nodding toward the building.

Actor and Casino slipped inside the building and Actor stayed close to the door, away from the sick man. Casino walked over and squatted down on the opposite side of Garrison from Chief. The safecracker looked at their leader. He was lying almost still and quiet, eyes closed.

Actor scanned the room. A small smokeless fire had been started on a dirt part of the floor. Chief, dressed in peasant clothes, was holding a metal canteen with Casino’s neckerchief. The Indian motioned for Actor to approach. The Italian moved silently over to the men. Garrison did not open his eyes. Actor pointed to the canteen with a questioning expression.

Chief grinned. “Willow bark tea and chamomile. There’s a stream about fifty yards back. Filled the canteens and made some tea to get his fever down and keep him calm.”

Actor reached in his pocket and pulled out a paper packet, handing it to the Indian. “Can you get these into him?”

Chief set the canteen down and dumped the contents of the packet into his hand. “Aspirin and sulfa?”

“Yes,” replied Actor, sitting on his heels to get a closer look at the ill man.

Chief slipped a hand under the Lieutenant’s head and lifted it. “Come on, Warden. Some White Man’s medicine to go with the good stuff.”

To the surprise of the other two men, Garrison opened his eyes and let Chief place the pills on his tongue.

“Okay, now wash it down with some more tea.”

Chief held the canteen to the man’s lips and he drank some of it without a fuss.

“Thirsty,” said Chief.

When Garrison had finished drinking, the Indian eased him back down. The three men got up and walked a little way away.

“You get any morphine?” asked Chief.

“Two styrettes,” replied Actor, keeping an eye on the ill man. “I will administer one just before the plane lands and the other just before we reach Archbury.” 

Thunder rumbled across the sky.

“Guess we better get the Warden in the back of the truck,” said Chief. “He was so restless we were afraid to try to carry him with just the two of us. Then I found the chamomile and thought it might settle him some.”

“Good idea,” replied Actor, letting the man know with those words that it was all right his orders had not been obeyed.

Casino took the head of the stretcher and Actor the feet. Chief scanned the outside before leading the way to the truck. The wind suddenly picked up and the smell of rain was in the air. Dirt and leaves swirled around the men as they now hurried to the vehicle. They had just loaded the stretcher when the skies opened in a wind-whipped downpour. Actor and Casino got into the back with Garrison.

Goniff came running up, looking like a drowned blond rat. Chief took the rifle from him and motioned him to get in the truck. Before the Englishman could say anything, the Indian had disappeared around the side of the building.

Inside the truck, Goniff shook himself like a dog. “I’m goin’ to catch bloody pneumonia,” he groused.

“That’s all right,” said Casino. “They got infirmaries in stir.”

“Funny, Mate,” said Goniff not at all amused. He turned to Actor. “That plane ain’t goin’ to come now.”

“We don’t know that yet,” said Actor, slicking his wet hair back so it quit dripping in his eyes. “We have four more hours until we go to the pick-up point. This storm came in fast and it may leave fast. We will just have to wait and see.”

The only dry clothes they had were the German uniforms in their bags. One by one they changed out of their sodden outerwear and into the warmer woolen uniforms. From then on, they could do nothing but huddle on the floor of the truck, listening to wind and water lashing the canvas and watch the inside of the truck brighten dimly with each flash of lightning. Oddly, Garrison slept through it.

After a bit, Casino and Goniff slept too, leaving Actor to stay awake watching the Lieutenant and listening for trouble. The big man would have dearly loved to have a pipe or a cigarette. He didn’t have the first and couldn’t light the second for fear of the smell giving them away as the rain tapered off. 

The other thing he would have dearly loved was to get some sleep. He knew even if the other two had remained awake, his mind would not allow him to sleep until they were back in England. Not for the first or last time, Actor wondered how Garrison managed the worry that went with being the leader of this group. The confidence man had picked up the officer’s habit of staying awake from start to finish of a mission. It was hard on a person, but then, Garrison was ten years younger than the Italian. He could tolerate it easier.

Actor had moved closer to the sick man as the light had faded in the truck. He looked down at the man he had come to respect and like. Garrison was quieter, but still twitched and moved restlessly, not waking up. Though he would never admit it to Chief, or Teresa for that matter, there seemed to be something to their weed medicine. Actor just hoped that between it and traditional medicine, Garrison would pull through this and be back to his usual self. 

The rain had stopped when Chief returned to the truck. Casino and Goniff came awake immediately. Casino took the gun from the Indian and took his place on watch. Goniff went back to sleep. Digging through one of the bags, Chief pulled out the remaining dry uniform and changed into it.

“How is he?” the Indian asked Actor quietly.

“A little restless, but about the same,” replied Actor.

“No better?” The youngest of the group sat down, leaning against the side of the truck.

“No worse,” said Actor philosophically.

The two men remained awake in silence that was companionable. An hour later, Actor awakened Goniff.

“Time to leave,” the con man said. 

Goniff took Actor’s place and the big man left the back of the truck along with Chief. The German colonel and his corporal climbed up into the cab of the truck. It started right up and Chief pulled around the building. Casino stepped out of the woods at the start of the muddy trace leading to the road and climbed into the back.

“Gonna leave tracks,” remarked Chief.

“It cannot be helped,” replied Actor. “Hopefully we will be far from here before it is discovered.”

They followed the directions Actor had in his head until they reached another track, a little less muddy, that disappeared into the woods. Chief eased the big truck through the dense underbrush and hanging branches. Suddenly, two armed men stepped into the path of the vehicle. Chief had barely stopped when two more men flanked the truck. He knew there were more behind the truck. Remaining still, he kept his hands on the top of the steering wheel and looked straight ahead.

Actor rolled down his window and began speaking to the man closest to him in French. A short conversation continued that seemed to satisfy the Frenchman. Motioning the other men on the ground out of the way, the man talking to Actor hopped up on the running board and hung on to the window frame as Chief started slowly forward again.

They reached a clearing and parked where their guide, Jean-Paul, indicated. The resistance leader jumped down from the truck and Actor got out. Chief got out of his side and came around to stand, not too close to the con man, but close enough to help if things went bad. The Indian scanned the area. He could not have pointed them out to Actor, but he knew there were a dozen men spread out just inside the edge of the surrounding woods. A woman dressed in pants and heavy jacket, a rifle dangling from her shoulder, stepped out of the woods nearby and went to the back of the truck, handing up a blanket.

“The plane is coming,” Actor said to Chief’s unspoken question.

The conversation turned to English. 

Jean-Paul smiled. “The weather is clear over the Channel,” he said, “but the wind is strong. It will take you longer to return to England.”

Chief dug the toe of his boot in the mud. “Can the plane take off outta this mud?”

“Oh, oui,” assured the Frenchman. “We have spent many days packing the dirt down on the runway. Just under the grass it is, how you say, hard as a rock.”

As the arrival time of the plane neared, Garrison was removed on his stretcher from the back of the truck. The cons waited, squatted down, one on each side of the stretcher, Actor with one of the morphine styrettes in his hand. 

Chief’s head lifted sharply. “Plane.”

Actor could hear nothing but trusted the Indian’s superior hearing. Casino took hold of Garrison’s wrist and pushed the sleeve up. Actor quickly inserted the needle of the styrette into the officer’s ropy vein and injected just as the man came around and started to fight. Craig went under in a rush of morphine. Actor monitored the officer’s breathing with a hand on his chest until he was satisfied there was no serious reaction to the narcotic. He hated to do this to Garrison, but they seemed to have no alternative.  
Movements in the darkness were all that could be seen as the resistance people, men and women, emerged from the woods in well practiced precision to outline the runway and flash their torches skyward in the L-shape that showed the pilot where to land. They disappeared just as stealthily back into the woods as the plane touched down.

All four of the cons took a handle of the stretcher and together hurried to the plane that never cut its engines.


	4. Chapter 4

Actor kept a close eye on the Lieutenant. He was resting if not comfortably, at least silently on the stretcher on the floor of the plane. Stringy strands of dark blonde hair lay against a pale forehead. The paleness of Garrison’s forehead contrasted with the dark circled eyes and fever brightened red cheeks. At best there wasn’t much room to maneuver in the cramped quarters, but now the stretcher was taking up all the available floor space. The other three men were also silent. Unusual for them, but this whole mission had been unusual. There was no bickering even though the men were scrunched up against each other, knees almost to chins as their legroom was taken up by the stretcher. 

The confidence man chewed on a dilemma. What to do with the Warden. The man obviously needed medical care beyond what he could provide. The solution was to place him in the base hospital at Archbury under the care of Major Kaiser. However, that brought up the next problem. When the Warden woke up enough again to start rambling, the things he was saying would be devastating to the group. The accusations he kept making against mainly Actor, but also the other men, would be enough for the Army to round up the cons and ship them immediately back to prison, or shoot them for treason, without giving them any chance to defend themselves. So, the alternative was to spirit the ill man back to the Mansion and continue to try to combat the fever. 

Garrison had been nothing but upright in his dealings with the men. He had given them support and chances for a better life when no one else would have bothered with them. He taught them, by word and example, and he covered for them when it was in his best interest to let them rot in prison. The man deserved to come first. 

“So, what are we gonna do when we get to England?” asked Casino.

Actor turned weary eyes on the safecracker. “He needs to be in a hospital.”

“Yeah,” agreed Casino. “But when he starts spoutin’ off about us sidin’ with the Krauts, we’re dead meat.” The safecracker figured anything aimed at one of them would be leveled at all of them.

“Warden needs to be in a ‘ospital, so we leave ‘im at the base ‘ospital and we scarper.”

“To where, Goniff,” asked Actor tiredly. “We are in German uniform. Even if they allowed us to leave the base without the Lieutenant, how far do you think we would get?”

“Come on, Mate,” scoffed the Englishman. “If you can get us out of Germany, you can get us out of England.”

Actor nodded. “I could arrange that, but only if I had time to set things up, get us papers, uniforms, safe houses. We would not be able to go back to the Mansion. What would you have us do, Goniff? Ambush an officer’s vehicle and kill him for his clothes and papers? An Allied officer, here in England? Could you in all conscience do that?” 

The blond man’s face fell. “I didn’t much think o’ that.” 

“And where would we go? Switzerland? Sweden?” asked Actor sarcastically.

“Too blinkin’ cold, Mate,” replied Goniff, not catching Actor’s tone. “I was thinkin’ more like Australia . . . New Zealand.”

“Yeah, right, Goniff,” said Casino with as much sarcasm.

“There’s something else none of you are thinking of,” said a low quiet voice. All eyes turned to the normally reticent Indian. “What about Terry? Warden’s her brother. She oughta have a say in what we do with the Warden. She’s taken care of him before when he’s had the fevers.” Chief looked directly at Actor. “I know it ain’t the type of medicine you use, but what she does might work.”

Actor chewed on that a bit. Chief was right, but he felt as though he were dumping the responsibility onto Teresa; responsibility that had become his. However, Teresa was family and they were not.

“Girl’s got a right to say what happens to her brother,” spoke Casino, musing aloud. 

Actor nodded. “Okay, then are we in agreement, we call Teresa and if she wants him in the hospital, we do that?” He looked at Goniff. “And then we attempt to scarper.”

“Either way it gives us some kinda chance,” said Chief. “I’m in.”

Goniff nodded.

Casino looked at Actor. “Guess that’s the plan.”

As they neared the British coast the pilot came to the doorway from the cockpit. “You want me to have Doc Kaiser meet us on the runway?”

Actor put on a benign smile. “That won’t be necessary. We are quite accustomed to caring for the Lieutenant when he gets these fevers. Though, we will call his sister first. She has the final say in this matter.”

“Okay,” said the pilot dubiously, turning and going back to the cockpit.

Casino looked at the expression on the confidence man fade from smiling to inscrutable. “Actor, you are so full of shit,” he said with a small chuckle.

“It is keeping you alive!” snapped the con man.

Casino held his hands up, “Hey, I meant that as a compliment.”

“’Ey, Casino,” said Goniff softly. “Leave ‘im be. “E don’t find it funny. And ‘e’s doin’ the best ‘e can . . . for us and the Warden.”

The safecracker looked at the Italian who had withdrawn back into himself and was ignoring the group. “Yeah, I know.” Casino really was thankful Actor was along. He didn’t envy the man the position he was in.

When Actor heard the plane engines change pitch as they slowed, he pulled the last styrette from his pocket and administered the morphine to Garrison. Between the four of them, they wrapped the single blanket tightly around the lieutenant’s body, keeping his arms and legs imprisoned so he couldn’t fight or grab a weapon and to keep the injured leg protected.

When they landed, Garrison’s stretcher was unloaded to the side of the plane. Chief hitched a ride on an air force jeep to where the Packard was parked. He nodded his thanks when he was let off and hurried to the car, driving it back to the waiting men.  
Actor and Casino picked up the Lieutenant’s fever-ridden limp body, feeling the heat through the blanket, and managed to wrestle him into the backseat of the car. Goniff was on the far side, pulling the top half of the unconscious man up against him. Casino got in and took the injured leg across his lap. Actor got in the front and Chief drove them back to the buildings where there was a public phone.

The men waited tensely in the car, their eyes never leaving their new leader, while Actor went to the phone and placed a call to the Mansion. They wanted off the base as quickly as possible, to get themselves and the Warden to their perceived safety of the Mansion.

Actor listened to the ringing on the other end and prayed Teresa was home. There was no answer. He placed another call to her flat. On the third ring, a groggy voice answered.

“Hello.”

“Teresa, it is Actor.”

“What’s happened?” asked the girl with dread in her voice, suddenly wide awake.

“The Warden has been injured; a bullet wound to the leg,” said Actor. “However, the problem is he is having one of his fevers. This one is different. He is out of his head and saying things that would not be advantageous to us if anyone in the military heard him.” Actor paused. “He needs more medical attention than I can provide. He needs to be in a hospital.” The con man omitted saying what effect that would have on the men.

There was silence on the other end of the phone. He knew the girl well enough to know she was weighing all the options. As it was, he did not see the commanding officer of the base stride up to the car behind him and look inside.

“Bring him home,” said Terry with certainty in her voice.

The colonel strode in rigid anger over to the confidence man. “Actor, what the hell is going on? My men reported Garrison was injured and you’re trying to take him off the base. The man’s unconscious!”

“Col. Gallagher,” greeted Actor formally. “The Lieutenant is merely sedated for the plane trip.”

“Bullshit! What are you trying to pull?” demanded Gallagher.

Actor had lowered the receiver from his ear at the officer’s approach. “Actor. Actor!!!” he heard stridently coming from the phone. He raised it back to his ear. “Yes Teresa.”

“That’s Joe. Put him on the phone.”

Actor held the phone out to the angry officer. “Teresa wishes to speak to you.”

Gallagher took the phone, keeping a jaundiced eye on the taller confidence man. “Terry.”

“Joe, let them go. I want Craig home. I can take care of this. I have been for months now,” said Terry.

“Terr, you haven’t seen him. He’s unconscious. He needs to be in the hospital.”

“I know. It’s sedation.” Terry’s voice held just the right touch of pleading. “Joe, if the Army feels he isn’t safe to lead the group, they’ll discharge him on medical grounds. You know Craig wouldn’t want that. Let me take care of my family, Joe. I can do it. I promise if he gets too bad, I’ll bring him back to the hospital.”

“He looks too bad right now,” said Joe, not liking any of this.

“Joe . . .”

Gallagher sighed and looked icily at Actor. “Okay, you can take him. But, Actor, if anything happens to him, I’ll see you hang for it.”

“It’ll be fine, Joe,” assured Terry.

Gallagher handed the phone back to Actor and turned to his driver. “Go tell the gate they can let this car through.” He grabbed a blanket from the back of his staff car before it left. Though it was beginning summer, it was still cold, and they only had one blanket around Craig.

As the man drove away to follow that order, Joe turned back to Actor. The two men faced each other and silently glared. If Joe hadn’t been so angry, he might have had second thoughts about the malevolent glare in the older man’s eyes. After a hard moment, the colonel went to the back of the Packard and opened the door. He handed the blanket to Casino, took another worried look at his friend, then strode off toward the base hospital. Actor lifted the receiver to his ear and spoke calmly. “Teresa?”

“Actor,” said Terry. “Don’t worry about Joe. Just bring Craig home. I’ll meet you there.”

“We will be there shortly,” replied the con man.

“Okay,” said Terry.

After he heard the phone disconnect, Actor got into the front of the car. Chief wordlessly started it up and drove to the gate. There was an inaudible collective sigh of relief when they were allowed through.

GGGGG

Chief blew the horn for wounded as he pulled up to the mansion. The MG was parked at an angle as though it had been left there in a hurry. Terry was at the top of the steps waiting for them when he shut their car off. The Indian and the Italian got out first and Actor opened the back door on his side of the car. Casino got out and bent over to pull the Lieutenant out. When Goniff was freed, he jumped out and hurried around. The four men took hold of shoulders and legs and struggled to work together to get Garrison up the steps. Terry held the door open for them, craning to get a look at her brother as the men jostled into the house.

Actor’s frustration level was at an all time high. “Give him to me!” he ordered angrily.

Terry skirted around him and up the stairs. She paused to look back in time to see Actor straining to lift the injured man over his shoulder and start up the stairs to a chorus of objections from behind him.

“Actor!” Terry cried in protest.

“Move!” he ordered.

Terry ran ahead of him as he carried Garrison up the stairs and down to his room. Terry stood on the opposite side of the bed as Actor laid the man down as gently as possible and arranged his limbs in a more comfortable position.   
“Idioto,” said Terry without heat.

“Well, that’s one I haven’t been called in the last forty-eight hours,” muttered the Italian.

Terry shot a look at Actor but turned her attention back to her brother. A hand went to feel the heat radiating from Craig’s forehead. She didn’t like his state of consciousness and lifted an eyelid to look at the pinpoint pupil beneath it.

“Morphine?” she asked.

“Yes,” admitted Actor, with a guilty tone to his voice.

“Well, if you used it, I imagine it was necessary,” she said, opening Craig’s shirt to allow the cool air of the room to reach him. “Can you get aspirin in him?”

“It’s not been helping,” said Actor.

Terry looked down at the leg with the bulge of a bulky dressing under the pants. She pointed to it.

“It’s a clean wound,” reported the Italian. “No signs of infection. We just can’t get the fever down.”

Terry nodded. She turned toward the door and flapped her hands at the other three men to move them into the hall out of her way. She strode past them and headed for the stairs, the three trailing behind her. Partway down the stairs, she stopped and hung over the railing to reach the phone. The men moved on past her. Terry stuck the receiver in between her shoulder and her neck and dialed the number to the Fox. She looked down and saw the men watching her. Madge answered on the other end of the line.  
“Hey, tell Gallagher I need ice, lots of it, out here right away,” said Terry.

“You have wounded?” asked the Cockney woman.

“Yeah.”

“Do you need anything else?” Madge asked.

Terry thought about the men listening to the conversation. “Ask Shiv if he has any penicillin.”

“I’ll send some with Kit,” replied the woman. “Do you need Shiv? ‘E should be back in tonight sometime.”

“I don’t know yet,” replied Terry. “It’s Craig. We can’t use a hospital on this one. I’ll call back if I need him. And thanks.”

She hung up and leaned over to put the phone back on its table. Straightening, she looked at the three men watching her from the bottom of the steps.

“Any of you get hurt?” she said. When they all shook their heads, she continued. “There’s food in the kitchen. I didn’t have time for much. I did get your rooms ready before you got here.”

“Thanks, Babe,” said Casino, suddenly tired.

They turned to go to the kitchen. Terry started down the stairs. “Chief?”

The young man stopped and came back to the stairs. Terry waited for the other two to get to the kitchen before stopping on the bottom step close to Chief.

“Do me a favor, Rainey?” she asked in a whisper. “When you’re done eating, could you go in Craig’s office and use his phone? See if you can track down Chris and tell her to get on a train here.”

“Sure,” agreed the Indian. He looked uncomfortable.

Terry eyed him worriedly. “There a problem?”

“Not my place to say,” said Chief hesitantly. 

“Say it anyway,” coaxed Terry.

“It’s Actor. The Warden’s been givin’ him a real hard time. I think he’s at the end of his rope.”

Terry nodded. “I can see that. At some point, after you guys have gotten some food and some rest, somebody’s going to have to tell me what happened.” She was only a little surprised at the concern the younger man had for the older one. She smiled. “Don’t worry about Actor. I’ll take over watching Craig. I think I can get Actor to get some rest.”

“Just be careful,” warned Chief. “The Warden can get a little – uh – violent sometimes.”

Terry nodded. “Get some food and call Chris, then get some sleep.”

Chief nodded. “If you need help with the Lieutenant, you get me.”

Terry smiled. “Thanks, Rainey.”

She waited until Chief had gone around the corner toward the kitchen before going back upstairs. Stepping into her brother’s room, she saw the back of Actor in a chair to the side of the bed. She stepped up to him and rested a hand on the con man’s shoulder. Actor looked up at her. The laugh lines around his eyes were deep creases and there were dark shadows below haunted hazel eyes surrounded by the gray skin of exhaustion that was both physical and mental. 

Terry’s eyes moved to her brother and noted he was still not awake. She took in the unhealthy red blotches on pale cheeks. His skin was hot and sticky with fever. His hands and shoulders twitched uncomfortably.

“It okay to leave him alone for a minute or two?” she asked.

Actor glanced back at the Lieutenant. “I believe so,” he said reluctantly.

Terry pointed her head toward the door and preceded him out into the hall. Not stopping, she walked next door to the Italian’s room and waited for him to join her. She turned and stood looking up at him.

“You wish to know the story,” he said wearily.

“I think that will take a long time,” said Terry. “Have you gotten any sleep?”

Actor shook his head. “I couldn’t.”

“Didn’t think so.” She stepped closer and placed her hands on either side of his waist, never breaking eye contact with him. “It can wait. There’s food in the kitchen if you want it first, but you need sleep, amico mio. I’ll sit with Craig. I’ve got ice coming to help cool him down. There anything I need to know?”

Actor nodded. “He can become rather agitated.”

“Actually, I was told violent,” she prompted.

He nodded again in reluctant agreement. “You need to be careful. If he gets bad, do not try to handle him yourself. Call us.” Actor sucked in a cheek. “I should have insisted he go to the base hospital.”

Terry released his waist and took his hands in hers. She could tell how exhausted he was, physically and mentally, by the fact he allowed her to touch him like she was. She rubbed her thumbs over the backs of his hands. “If he was saying things that can hurt you guys, then we both know that wasn’t an option. He would want it this way.”

In light of the accusations the Lieutenant had been making against him, he wasn’t so certain of the Warden’s wishes. Actor retreated behind the mask he usually wore. Still, he looked down at the hands wrapped around his and squeezed them, appreciating the returned pressure. 

“Get some rest,” said the girl gently, worried by the Italian’s withdrawal that could only be from hurt. “I’m sure you’ve done more than your share of worrying about him. Let me do the worrying for awhile. I promise if he gets worse, I’ll get you.”

Her hands released his and she stepped away, turning and going out of his room and back to Garrison’s. Actor sat down on the edge of his bed. Part of him wanted to strip down and crawl under the covers, seeking the oblivion of sleep, but the other part of him realized he had not eaten in two days. With a sigh and great effort, he stood up and walked back into the hall. 

Downstairs, Actor went into the kitchen. The other three men were at the table with bread, butter, a jar of peanut butter and one of jam. As he sat in one of the chairs, Goniff set a glass of milk in front of him. An empty plate was pushed over to him. He smiled in amusement. Actor couldn’t remember the last time he had a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. One hand reached out and picked up a slice of bread, laying it on the plate. He picked up the knife that was across the butter dish, scooped up a bit of the butter and spread it on the bread. Next he dipped into the jar of peanut butter, spreading that on top. A long arm reached out for the jar of strawberry jam and he spooned some of that on his bread with the spoon that was stuck in the sweet spread. Concentrating on what he was doing, he folded the bread on itself and took a bite.

Casino looked at him questioningly. “That all you’re eatin’?” he asked.

Actor nodded. Despite his hunger, it was almost too much effort to eat that little bit. The strain and exhaustion were telling on him. He did not notice the stealthy looks of concern he was receiving from the other men.

Chief left the table first. He rinsed his plate and glass and left them in the sink. Without a word, he left the kitchen and disappeared into Garrison’s office, closing the door behind him so the others would not see him using the phone.

Goniff got up from the table next. He too was looking dubiously at the half sandwich Actor was taking the last bite of. “You not eatin’ any more than that?” he asked.

Actor shook his head.

“Don’t like peanut butter?” asked Casino.

“It is not something I eat often,” replied the con man vaguely.

“You done then?” Goniff reached for the jar of spread.

“Quite finished,” said the Italian.

Goniff put the food away while the other two picked up the dirty dishes, rinsed them and added them to the sink. Together, they went back upstairs, all three pausing to peer into the Lieutenant’s bedroom through the open door at Terry wringing out a wet cloth from a basin and laying it across her brother’s forehead. Garrison seemed to be sleeping, but restless. Leaving him in the girl’s capable hands, they each went to their respective rooms and shut the doors.

About ten minutes later, Chief appeared silently at the open door and motioned for Terry to come out. They stood in the hallway, both keeping an eye on the recumbent officer.

“Chris is taking the eleven o’clock train,” said the Indian in a whisper.

“Thanks,” said Terry.

“Wake me up when it’s time to get her,” said Chief. “I don’t mind going.”

Terry stifled a smile. She was sure the young man did not in the least mind losing sleep if it meant he could spend some time alone with her sister. Besides, it would allow her to stay with Craig. “Thanks, Chiefy,” she said. She waited until he had gone into his room and shut the door before returning to her brother’s side.

The young woman had been aware of the three men stopping outside the door on their way to their rooms. Usually, they would have just come into the room to check on their leader. Even Chief had remained outside of the room. She stood beside the bed and looked down at the flushed face of her brother, a frown on it even in sleep.

“Oh, Craig, what have you done?” she whispered.


	5. Chapter 5

Kit Gallagher’s boots clicked loudly on the stone tile floor of the upstairs hall. Terry glanced heaven-ward even as she smiled. That girl didn’t know the meaning of quiet, never had and never would. But she hadn’t called to ask questions, she had just come. It was the sign of a good friend.

The flame-haired girl did slow down as she entered Garrison’s bedroom. She had grown up on the ranch next to the Garrisons. The Gallagher offspring and the Garrison offspring had spent as much time in each other’s house as they had their own growing up. The whole bunch had always gone skinny dipping in Cut Bank Creek. Familiarity bred casualness, but since coming to England after West Point and North Africa, Craig had become more distant and formal.

Terry stood up and arched her back to stretch the kinks out. She had gotten little sleep before Actor’s call and the wooden desk chair she was ensconced in was not the least bit comfortable after a night tending bar. She met Kit in the middle of the room. The Gallagher girl was peering at the restless form in the bed.

“He doesn’t look good,” she remarked. “What happened?”

“I don’t know yet,” replied Terry. “All I know is he got another fever, worse than ever before . . . and the guys are avoiding him. Chief says he gets violent.”

“Craig?” asked Kit dubiously. “He was always good in a barn dance fight, but I wouldn’t call him violent.”

Terry shrugged. 

“The ice is stuffed in your ice box,” said Kit, suddenly remembering why she had come. She pulled a vial out of her pocket. “Penicillin as ordered,” she quipped, handing it to Terry.

“Thanks,” said Terry gratefully. She pocketed the medicine. “Would you watch him for a bit so I can get the ice packs and a syringe?”

“Yeah, from a distance.”

Terry pulled the chair a little farther away from the bed. Kit gave a faked grin and plopped on the chair. With a shake of her head and a smile, Terry took the ice bags she had gathered on the dresser and went down to the kitchen. She walked carefully so her boots did not make a loud noise.

Several minutes later, she returned with three filled ice bags, a bottle of rubbing alcohol and the case with the syringe. The ice bags were set on the foot of the bed. Terry went to the night table and drew up the penicillin. She came back to the bed with the syringe and a cotton ball of alcohol.

“Roll him towards you,” said Terry. 

Kit got up slowly and looked at her friend dubiously before pulling Garrison over on his side facing her. She watched Terry pull the covers back and pull the waistband of Craig’s underwear down. Kit looked up and around.

Terry snickered. “What’s the matter? You’ve seen his tush a million times before.”

“Yeah, but somehow that was different,” bemoaned the girl. “Boy, is he putting off heat.”

“Yes,” replied Terry, swabbing a site with alcohol. “Actor couldn’t get his fever down. He’s always been able to before.” Her tone indicated her worry over that fact.

Terry expertly injected the penicillin into her brother. The prick of the needle brought Craig awake and angry. He glared up without recognition at the woman who was holding him and obviously doing something bad to him.

Kit looked at the bright malevolent hazel eyes that now blazed greener than blue and shuddered. “Terry?” she squeaked. 

“Let him go,” instructed Terry, stepping back and placing the syringe out of his reach on the table.

Kit rapidly let go and stepped back as Garrison flopped on his back. 

The man glared at her without recognition. “Bitch!”

Kit’s eyes widened at the unusual oath coming from the proper officer’s mouth. “Asshole,” she flung back indignantly. “I was trying to help you.”

Terry gave her girlfriend a dirty look. She shook Garrison’s shoulder gently. “Hey, Brother, I’m over here. I did that. It’s penicillin.”

Craig turned his distrustful eyes on her sister. He vaguely recognized her. His eyes went back to the flame-haired woman, trying to remember where he knew her from. Kit stepped farther away. Garrison looked back at Terry.

“Poison,” he said accusingly.

“Penicillin,” replied Terry firmly. “You’re having one of your fevers again.”

“Actor give it to you?” The paranoia was obvious.

“No, I got it from Shiv.” Terry frowned as Garrison looked around the room. 

“Where is he?” 

“Who, Shiv?” asked Terry. “He’s at the Fox like he always is,” she lied.

“No, Actor. Where is he?”

“He’s in his room sleeping,” said Terry. “Why?”

“He’s gone over to the Germans,” said Craig with certainty. “So have the others.”

Terry gave a snort of laughter. “Hardly. He brought you back to England. He’s sleeping in his room, just like the other guys. They’re all here.” 

Kit was backing toward the door. “I’m – uh – leaving,” she said. “Are you going to be okay?”

“Sure,” assured Terry. “I have four strong men within screeching distance if I need them. Thanks!”

With relief, Kit fled, heels clattering on the floor.

Garrison seemed to settle more after the Gallagher girl left. Terry spoke soothingly to him and put ice bags in his armpits and behind his neck. She had managed to get more aspirin in him too. Immediately after she got him settled, he went back to sleep.  
Terry took up her post in the chair. Actor had gone over to the Germans? What was that all about? Was it Craig’s confusion at seeing the German uniform that Actor had been wearing when he returned to the mansion? Shoot, he should be used to seeing Actor dressed up as SS after all this time. He wore it enough himself. She was used to Garrison getting a fever, climbing into a hole in his mind and waiting until the temperature was gone before coming out again. This agitation and paranoia were new. So was the swearing.

Another hour passed before the telephone rang downstairs. Terry sprinted on tip toes down the stairs and grabbed the phone before it disturbed the men’s sleep.

“Mansion,” she said.

“Terry? What’s going on?” asked Christine. 

“Craig’s sick and I don’t know what’s going on,” admitted the older sister. “but I need help. Are you at the train station?”

“Yes,” replied Chris.

“Okay, sit tight. I’ll send somebody to pick you up.”

“Okay,” said Chris.

They hung up and Terry went back upstairs. She scratched lightly on Chief’s door and eased it open, sticking her head inside. 

“Chief?”

The Indian’s head came up, immediately alert. Terry stepped inside and shut the door. “Chris is at the train station. I hate to disturb your sleep, but could you go get her? I don’t want to leave Craig alone.”

“No problem,” assured Chief. “How’s the Warden?”

“He’s still not acting right,” admitted Terry. “Fever’s only going down a little. I have him packed in ice.”

“Hope it works,” said Chief.

“So do I.”

Terry went back to Garrison’s room and let Chief get dressed. He peeked in the bedroom door at the Lieutenant but did not come inside. Terry smiled at him and mouthed ‘thanks’, now more worried because the Indian just nodded and left, staying outside of the room.

GGGGG

Chief walked into the waiting room at the Brandonshire train depot and paused, searching the area for Crystal. He spotted her sitting on a bench, just as her head swung around to look at him almost as if she had sensed his presence. His heart lightened at the beaming smile she bestowed on him. It had been another lifetime ago and another Christine since anyone had seemed that happy to see him.

She stood and reached down for her suitcase and purse. Chief hurried forward and took the suitcase from her. It brought they heads close together and he could smell the light floral scent she was wearing. It reminded him of springtime.

“Hi,” he said, unable to come up with anything better.

“Hi,” Chris replied with a smile. “I was hoping you were the one picking me up.”

“Then I’m glad I got to do it,” replied Chief. He had a sneaking suspicion Terry had planned it that way.

He shifted the suitcase to his left hand. Chris hung her shoulder bag from her right shoulder and hooked her left hand inside his right elbow. As he escorted her out to the parking lot, she turned worried eyes to his face.

“What’s going on with Craig?” she asked.

“I’ll tell you on the way back to the Mansion,” said Chief. He wasn’t sure it was safe to discuss it where other people might hear.

Christine seemed to understand because she did not ask any more questions, but just tightened her hand on his arm. Chief settled her into the front seat of the Packard before depositing her suitcase in the trunk and getting behind the wheel. He glanced at the girl sitting primly on her side of the car. Her dark straight hair was pulled back and arranged to frame her face. A light smattering of make-up gave her a wholesome, yet pretty look. Like her sister, she did not indulge in the bright red lipstick that was so popular. The dark pink she was wearing made her lips look very kissable. Chief turned his thoughts away from that temptation and concentrated on driving. 

Both remained silent until they reached the edge of the village. It was then that Chris scooted over to the middle of the front seat, much closer to Chief. He held his hand out for hers and rested their clasped hands on the seat between them.

“Can you tell me what happened?” asked Chris.

“Guess I better,” he replied. “Don’t think Terry even knows. Don’t think Actor talked to her yet.”

He proceeded to give her an unembellished rundown on the events of the mission.

GGGGG

Actor woke up and looked at the clock beside his bed. He had only been asleep two hours and that had been fitful. Rolling over, he tried to find a comfortable position. One good thing about blackout curtains was they kept the room dark enough to sleep in during the day. Almost unconsciously, he listened to the sounds in the house. There was silence, but not the silence of a totally empty house. And there was no noise from the room next to his. That was a good thing, Actor thought.

He tried to go back to sleep, but his mind would not allow that. Thoughts of Garrison sometimes tippy-toed and other times tramped through his consciousness. Actor was worried. He was worried that the fever did not seem to be improving much, but even more he was worried about the deterioration of his relationship with the young officer. 

Actor recalled his first meeting with Garrison in the warden’s office at Alcatraz. His initial impression was of a young, very proper military man, until Garrison had started talking. Actor had been amused when he realized this proper young Army officer was trying to get him to buy into the bizarre idea of forming a guerrilla group composed of convicts. It was almost a con, and it was almost as good a con as what he could have come up with. Curiosity, and the prospect of spending another four long years behind concrete walls and metal bars with men who were nowhere near his intellect nor his station in life, had him agreeing to the proposal. Especially when the Lieutenant had mentioned they would be based in England, a mere Channel crossing away from the rest of Europe. There were more ways than one to break out of a prison and this one was certainly unique. 

Their first mission had been enlightening. Actor had watched and assessed the men he was teamed with, but mostly he had watched and assessed Garrison. The Lieutenant had proved to be no by-the-book army officer. The first thing that had held the master confidence man’s interest was the younger man’s ability to come up with a con. Several actually. They were wild but challenging, showing an unexpected breadth of knowledge and understanding both of war and of human nature, and to some extent they had all worked. And the man himself had been impressive. Chief had said it. He’s got guts, the Warden. That Garrison had plenty of. The young man had addressed a Wehrmacht general in perfectly modulated and appropriately spoken German, taken Wheeler down to within a hair’s breadth of the man’s life, proved his prowess with a switchblade, and not only accomplished the mission, but had brought them all back to England . . . with the exception of Wheeler and that was through no fault of Garrison. Actor had been intrigued with Garrison’s handling of the stolen counterfeit money. Garrison had seemed almost amused by it. He had taken the money away from them and burned it, but there had been no blustering, no threats, and no derision. That had made Actor give up his plan to lose the group and make his way to a life of ease in Switzerland for the duration of the war. He had stayed to see what would transpire next.

What had transpired was something the older man had not expected. Slowly there had developed a mutual respect and what could almost be called friendship. The two had become a team with the confidence games; more often than not the premise being Garrison’s. Actor took true pleasure in working in partnership with the man, even though he usually preferred to work alone. The seasoned confidence man set about perfecting the less experienced man’s skills. In return, the army officer had subtly taught the Italian military strategy and leadership skills.

Actor was even more surprised at the rapport that had developed between the two men. He had come to enjoy the quiet chats late at night between the two after a mission, either in the office or the library, with a glass of brandy or whisky. At any other time, there was always the deference to Garrison’s role as leader and his rank, but during those private conversations they became friends and equals. That was not to say that Actor did not push the envelope with his little forays into crime or women’s boudoirs. There was always the real threat that Garrison could send him back to prison whenever the officer wished. And he was of the opinion Garrison took great pleasure in making him sweat when he had done wrong, but in the end the con man had always been forgiven . . . so far. Actor had rarely allowed anyone to get as close to being a friend as he had the young officer. Now the possibility of being sent back to prison didn’t hold as much concern for Actor as the threat of losing that precious friendship with Garrison.

So, what was going on now? What was this outpouring of malevolent and venomous hate and distrust? Was this mistrust of Actor in Garrison’s subconscious or, worse, his conscious mind? Sure, the confidence man was still a bit larcenous and always would be, but he had always been where he should be when it counted or fixed things when he hadn’t. Were these accusations what Garrison really thought of him? Had it all been a con on the Lieutenant’s part to get Actor to do what he was supposed to do? If so, then Actor had fallen for it like one of his own marks. Was this what his marks felt like when Actor conned them? If this had all just been a ploy to gain what Garrison wanted from him, then somehow the pupil had conned the master. If this was so, then what did that say about Actor’s abilities? 

Actor gave up on sleep and threw the covers back. Sitting on the edge of the bed, leaning on his knees, he briefly allowed feelings of disappointment, pain and betrayal to wash over him. After a while, he pushed those feelings back into the recesses of his mind. He might feel the emotions, but he would never allow the other men to see them. The Italian got up and took one of the army issue one-piece suits from his armoire and put it on. He decided this time to forego the camouflage ascot and left the neck open. 

It was quiet in the hall as he walked silently past Garrison’s room. He could see the back of Teresa’s head and did not want to disturb her or the ill man. Besides, he was on a mission now. It was peaceful with the other men asleep and he would not be disturbed. Like a dog with a bone, he would not rest until he found what had been tickling his brain. Actor went downstairs, seemingly lost in thought, and shut himself into the library.

The confidence man went over to the pile of Stars and Stripes that was waiting to be used as fire starter. He hoped Teresa had not already used the edition he was looking for. Picking up the stack, he set it on the table and took a seat. Not remembering which newspaper it had been in, he picked up the top one and opened it in front of him, scanning the pages one by one.

He was three quarters of the way through the stack when he found the article he was looking for. He studied it before uncharacteristically ripping the entire page out and moving quickly to the door. No one was around to see him stride into Garrison’s office and shut the door. He settled himself in the lieutenant’s chair and picked up the telephone. Fifteen minutes later, he hung up the call and folded the page of newspaper up. With a bit more life in his step, he went back upstairs and stopped outside Garrison’s bedroom door. 

The door was ajar, so he eased just inside. Terry turned around in her chair to look at him. She frowned.

“What are you doing up?” the girl whispered with concern. “You should be sleeping for the next twelve hours at least,” she admonished.

Actor shook his head, not venturing closer. “I could not sleep.” He nodded toward the bed. “How is he?”

Terry shook her head. “He comes around. Confused. I’m not sure he knows me. Then he goes back under.” She hooked an arm over the back of the chair. “I got some tea in him, more sulfa, a shot of penicillin for good measure, and packed him in ice for awhile. He’s still warm, but not like he was.”

Actor nodded. He watched Teresa cock her head and give him a concerned look.

“Do you want me to get you something so you can sleep?” she offered.

“No,” he said in a low voice. “I had something I needed to do.” He held the paper out to her.

Teresa rose from the chair and walked over to him, accepting the newspaper sheet and unfolding it. “What’s this?” she asked.

“I told you I had read something that might be useful to the Lieutenant,” said Actor. “This is it. I have called Major Kaiser and he is looking into it for us. It is not a medicine used widely in this part of the world. They are starting to use it in North Africa with supposedly decent results.”

Terry opened the paper and scanned it. “Atabrine? Never heard of it.” She started reading. “Better than quinine? Quinine hasn’t worked on Craig in the past.” Terry stared reading it more slowly. “Can I hold onto this for a bit and read it?” she asked.

“Of course.”

Terry glanced up at the distracted tone of voice. The tall man was looking beyond her at the restless figure in the bed. His eyebrows were drawn together. Terry reached a hand up to pull his head down to where she could give him a kiss on the cheek.

“Actor, you are wonderful,” she said with a smile.

“Well, we shall see what the good Major has to say before you start thinking I am so wonderful.”

Before Terry could answer that, Garrison’s eyes opened and moved unerringly to the con man.

“You!”

Startled, Terry swung around in time to leap forward and grab Craig by the upper arms as he struggled to get out of the bed. His eyes were wild and focused completely on the con man.

“You traitor! I’m going to kill you!”

He began struggling with Terry. She tried to force him down, but he was still strong.

“Craig, settle down! It’s Actor. He’s not a traitor. Take it easy,” she tried to get through to him. He fought her more.

“Teresa, get away from him!” commanded Actor in apprehension. He knew what the Lieutenant was capable of.

“Let go of me!” yelled Garrison hysterically. “He’s a traitor! He’s working for the Germans!”

“He is not working for the Germans,” said Terry firmly, while struggling to at least keep him in the bed. “Actor, go out.”

“Teresa, get away from him! He will hurt you!” The Italian was hesitant to get closer for fear of making things worse, but he was afraid Garrison would injure the woman.

Terry was straining to keep Craig down. “Actor! Out!” she yelled sharply. “Now!”

The commotion and yelling had awakened Casino and Goniff. They raced into the hall from their rooms, wearing no more than regulation underwear. Actor was backing slowly into the hall, still keeping an eye on the scene in the bedroom. Casino pushed around him and grabbed the doorknob, pulling the door toward him, blocking Garrison’s and Actor’s view. He stuck his head around the door.

“Babe?” the safecracker questioned.

“Close the door,” said Terry in a calmer voice.

Casino brought the door almost closed but left it open a crack so they could hear and get in fast if need be. He turned to the tall man who had been led aside by Goniff. The confidence man’s face was wooden and slightly pale. Goniff was looking apprehensively up at the bigger man, knowing Actor usually wouldn’t tolerate being pulled on. With a swallow, Goniff released his hold on the man’s arm and stepped away.

“Well, that don’t sound like he’s gettin’ any better,” remarked Casino caustically in a whisper.

The three remained still, listening to the occupants of the other room. Garrison seemed to be winding down. They could not make out Terry’s words, but her voice was softer and lower with a soothing quality to it they had all gratefully experienced at one time or another.

Actor seemed to come to himself. Without a word to the other two men, he turned and strode down the hall. They heard him going quickly down the stairs. 

A few minutes later, Terry slipped out into the hall.

“You okay?” asked Casino in a low voice. 

“Yeah,” replied Terry. “He went back to sleep.” She looked between the safecracker and the pickpocket. “Is this what’s been going on the whole time?” she asked in shock.

“Oh, it’s been worse, Babe,” replied Casino.

“All right, I need to know what exactly has happened,” said Terry firmly. She looked around the hall. “Where’s Actor?”

“’E bolted,” said Goniff.

Terry fixed him with a look of disbelief. “Come on, Actor doesn’t bolt.”

“He bolted,” confirmed Casino. Now the safecracker looked around. “Hey, where’s Geronimo? He couldn’ta slept through this.”

“He went to get Chris from the train station,” answered Terry. “Now tell me what went on in France.”

The three stayed in the hall so Terry could keep an ear on her brother while Casino gave her a rundown on the events of the past forty-eight hours. Goniff added some tidbits here and there. They were just finishing up the story when Chief and Christine came around the corner of the hall.

“What happened?” asked Chief warily.

“’He was havin’ another go at Actor,” said Casino in an off-handed way that belied his concern.

Chris had stopped still and was staring at the two men with widened eyes. Goniff caught her expression and looked down at himself in just his knickers. He ducked behind Casino. The safecracker gave him a disgusted look, then he caught sight of Crystal’s face. He grinned and chuckled, turning to face her straight forward, legs apart and hands on hips.

Terry gave a resigned sigh. “Don’t worry about it, Sis. You’ll get used to it after a while.” 

“Sure,” said the younger girl dubiously, instinctively taking a step closer to Chief.

“Who’s out there?” came a demanding voice from the bedroom.

“My turn,” said Chris, coming back to life. “Chief filled me in on the ride here,” she said to her worried appearing sister.

“Be my guest,” said Terry backing away from the door.

Chris went in the bedroom with a smile. “It’s me,” they heard her say. “Hi Brother, I hear you’ve been sick.”

The voices quieted down in the bedroom. The cons and Terry listened, some in amazement and one in relief.

“Girl can charm the rattles off a rattlesnake,” said Terry proudly. She gave a half grin. “We might make her into a con woman yet.” She looked at the weariness in the men’s faces. “Go back to bed, Guys,” she urged. “We’ll scream loudly if we need you.”

Terry stayed in the hall until the three men had disappeared back into their rooms. Satisfied things were settling down, she stuck her head around Craig’s bedroom door. Chris was sitting on the chair close to the bed. The younger sister had picked up the torn sheet of newspaper from the floor and was smoothing it out on her lap. Garrison’s eyes were closed, and he was peaceful, as though nothing had just happened.

“You going to be okay?” asked Terry quietly.

“Sure,” said Chris with a smile. “We’re just fine, aren’t we, Brother?”

Craig mumbled something and stayed with his eyes closed and body relaxing.

“I’m going outside,” said Terry. “If you need help, scream.”

“We’ll be fine,” assured Chris. “Go take care of the other one . . . if you can find him.” She had noticed Actor was missing from the group and had already been told of the unexpectedly harsh treatment he had received from their brother.

GGG

Terry checked the library first, just to make sure, but it was empty. A look out the window told her Actor wasn’t by the paddock. She went through the kitchen and out the back door. It was early afternoon, but still cool out. Cautiously, she entered the gazebo. Actor was sitting on the bench, visible in the dappled sunlight through the latticework. He was leaning on his knees, toying with the ring on his little finger.

The young woman’s first instinct was to put her arms around him, but she contented herself with a single soft stroke of the dark head. He stiffened and she dropped her hand.

“He’s resting,” she said. “Crystal is with him. He seems to settle down better with her.”

Actor nodded.

“Casino told me what happened on the mission,” Terry said. She sat down next to him on the bench, close but not touching. “We are so lucky to have you, Actor,” she said softly. “Craig especially. A lesser man would have left him and run. All of you could have cut out on him, but you didn’t. And you took the brunt of it all.”

There was no answer from the man. Terry watched him for a moment. Tentatively she reached out and touched his arm but getting no response she stood and reluctantly slipped out of the gazebo. She went back into the kitchen and set the kettle to heat. A quick trip to her room had her measuring herbs by a pinch of her fingers into the bottom of a teacup. The brew had just finished steeping and she was adding a good dollop of honey to the mixture when Actor came back in.

“Sit with me for a minute . . . please,” she said.

The hazel eyes looked at her face without expression. He had pulled deeply within himself, causing Terry to worry how badly he was hurting. Would he cut and run now? She had come to trust him and if he scarpered, she would lose a very good friend. Just when she thought he was going to leave the kitchen, he sat down. She set the teacup in front of him. He said nothing, just eyed it.

“Drink it,” she urged gently. “It will help you sleep. You need sleep, Actor.”

“Teresa . . .,” he objected.

“Actor, look at me,” Terry said firmly. He didn’t look up. “Look – at – me.”

Finally, the dark head came up, the face inscrutable. Terry was familiar enough with him now to not back down.

“Would I give you something to hurt you?” His eyes dropped to the cup. “It’s chamomile and valerian. You know they are giving out valerian like candy in London since the Blitz.”

There was silence. Finally, he picked up the teacup and sipped the hot liquid. 

Actor did not look at the girl, nor did he speak to her. He couldn’t. He knew she wanted to comfort him. It was in her nature. He had accepted it from her once before, but that was not in his nature. And it was especially hard for him right now, with her brother’s behavior towards him. He knew it was the illness and the young officer really did not believe the things he was saying. At least that is what he hoped. But on an emotional level, something the con man tried to avoid, it felt like betrayal. And that was what he had ended up with from his family . . . betrayal.

Terry made no further attempt to touch him or speak to him. Stubborn. The man was just stubborn. And she had the feeling he was deeply hurt by what Craig had said and done and was still doing. She watched Actor almost dutifully drink the tea she had made. Stubborn. He should have been a Garrison. He fit right in with the males of the family.

Actor studied the sediment in the bottom of the cup when he was done drinking. “I wish you would stop trying to make me into something I am not,” he said in a voice barely above a whisper.

Terry had taken a seat at the table with him. “What do you mean?” she asked.

“I am not a ‘good’ man, as you have called me in the past, Teresa,” he said. “You are trying to change me. You can’t.”

Terry’s mouth turned into a quirky smile. For such an intelligent man, he sure could be dense sometimes. “Actor, you were not born a confidence man. That is learned. Yes, you’ve got a mean streak in you, that’s learned too, but I’ve seen you be kind, and concerned, and conscientious.”

Actor turned narrowed eyes on her and gave her the glare that usually sent chills through the men he aimed it at. To his annoyance, she just chuckled and shook her head. “Caro,” she said, “I watched you sling Craig over your shoulder and haul him upstairs like a sack of potatoes. I also saw you in the bedroom lay him down so carefully and make sure he was in a comfortable position. Change you? Uhn-uh. Maybe nudge you a little so you remember what’s behind that wall you try to keep between you and anybody who might get close to you.”

She got up and headed towards the dining room. When she was between the door and his back, Terry paused. Might as well really make him mad. She stepped back and did what she had wanted to do in the gazebo. She quickly slipped her arms around his neck from behind and gave a tight hug, before dropping a kiss on his temple, letting go and bouncing out of the kitchen.

Dio, that woman was a pain in the . . . He let that thought die as swiftly as it had arisen. He was forty years old and she was hugging him. The woman was pazza, just plain pazza! How did the Americans say it? Crazy as a loon, only loons had more sense than she did. Unbidden, the corner of his mouth twitched and finally turned up into a tiny smile. He got up from the table and placed the teacup in the sink before heading back upstairs to his bed.

Pazza.


	6. Chapter 6

Terry walked back into Craig’s bedroom and perched on the edge of the bed. Her brother wasn’t looking any better. She felt his cheeks. Still hot. Maybe not as warm as before the ice packs, but still too warm. Terry was beginning to question her wisdom in having the men bring him to the Mansion instead of putting him in the base hospital. Aspirin wasn’t working and neither was the willow bark tea she, and Chief before her, had given him.

“You okay?”

The question broke through her reverie and caused her to look up at her sister. Chris was watching her with sisterly concern.

“Yeah,” she said. “Just tired. I only slept a couple hours before Actor called me from Archbury.”

“I left a note for Kelly to come down when he gets back from wherever he is,” Chris informed her. “I figure the three of us can take turns with Craig.”

Terry chuckled. “At the very least it will liven things up around here with him and Casino smartin’ off at each other.”

The sound of the door to the next room closing reached them and they looked toward the wall between the two rooms.

“Okay, next question,” broached Crystal. “Is he okay?”

Terry shook her head. “No. He’s exhausted . . . physically and mentally. I think this business with Craig’s paranoia has thrown him a curve ball and he doesn’t know how to handle it. I’d bet the farm he’s hurt by it.”  
“Do you know how to handle it?” asked Chris worriedly.

“No,” admitted her older sister. “I don’t know how to handle Actor very well. He doesn’t let people get close. Except, I think maybe Craig.”

“I thought you two were getting pretty close,” prompted Chris.

Terry made a face. “Maybe with the con. We can follow each other pretty well now. I think we’re almost getting to be friends. Well, as much as he’ll allow.” She glanced back at the wall. “Maybe he’ll be better when he gets some sleep. I got some chamomile and valerian into him.”

Chris looked surprised at that. “I thought he was so against our kind of medicine?”

Terry shrugged. “Casino said at one point Actor was desperate enough after they ran out of aspirin to ask Chief for the willow bark for Craig.”

“He must have been desperate,” said Chris. She looked at her older sister. “I’m good for a few hours. Why don’t you go take a nap? You going to make supper for the gang?”

“I better,” said Terry with a half-smile. “I sure didn’t give them much for breakfast.” Terry got up and turned toward the door. She paused and looked back at Chris. 

“I’ll scream loudly if I need help,” assured the younger girl.

“Wake me up at four thirty,” said Terry.

“That’s only two hours,” protested Chris.

“That’s all I need,” reassured the older girl.

GGGGG

A tendril of smoke curled lightly upward from the bowl of the briar resting carefully in the ashtray. Actor lifted the pipe to his lips and took a soothing puff as he read the handwritten document before him for the third time. It had to be perfect. It had to be in Garrison’s ‘voice’. And it had to be ingrained in Actor’s mind to be able to pull off the con, for that’s what this debriefing was going to be, a con. Satisfied, the confidence man leaned back in the Lieutenant’s chair and contemplated the papers he had just written. He smoked his pipe and allowed his tired, worried mind to wander a bit.

He did not know for certain what Garrison put into his reports. He wasn’t privy to reading them, though he had written one before. He wondered how this piece of fiction would compare to the Warden’s. Actor hadn’t really thought much about the content of Garrison’s mission reports until now. With the antics and screw ups of the cons, he couldn’t have included all of the incidents or they would all be back in prison now. No, the good Lieutenant must have taken a great deal of poetic license with his missives to the Brass.

Garrison had covered their collective tails many a time. The least Actor could do was cover the Warden’s tail now. Written truthfully, this report would have Garrison labeled ‘unfit for duty.’ That wasn’t good for the young career soldier’s future in the army and it most certainly wasn’t good for the continued tenuous ‘freedom’ of the cons. So, the report was written as the mission was supposed to have been carried out, with Lieutenant Garrison leading until the end when he had taken a bullet in the leg upon a hurried exit from the Abwehr building. 

Why wasn’t Garrison debriefing? Well, the wound had become infected and he was a bit feverish. That was close to the truth. It wasn’t anything that Miss Garrison could not manage. He hoped to himself that this were true. And so Actor, in his unofficial role of Second to the Lieutenant, had temporarily assumed command and so was delivering the papers to Allied Command, as he had done to Major Schaeffer once before.

The pipe went back into the ashtray and Actor turned the chair toward the typewriter. He placed a sheet of carbon paper between two sheets of typing paper and inserted it behind the roller, bringing the paper up to the correct top margin before beginning to type the military dictated heading. He was reaching the bottom of the first page when a light knock came to the door. Actor looked up, irritated at the interruption, until he saw Teresa’s head poke around the door.

“Would you like me to type that for you?” she offered. “I type up a lot of Craig’s stuff for him.”

“Thank you, Teresa,” Actor smiled. “But I am doing quite well.” It wouldn’t do to involve the young woman in the deception any more than was absolutely necessary. 

Instead of leaving, the woman stepped inside and shut the door. Actor watched her with annoyance and frustration as she came up to stand beside him and look at what was in the typewriter.

“Teresa,” objected Actor with barely concealed exasperation. “It would be better if you did not know what is in this report.”

“I have to differ with you on that one, caro,” she replied. “If they go after you, they’ll come after me also, and it would be better if we were on the same ‘con’ so to speak.” She peered at the lines already typed. “This sounds very good, but I know Craig’s wording on his reports a little better than you because I type them a lot.” She rested a hand on his far shoulder and leaned forward to point at a line of typing. “For instance, this is very close, but if you change a couple words here and here, it sounds more like Craig in formal military.”

She reiterated the sentence with a couple minute changes. Actor leaned back in the chair and nodded. With a conscious effort he curbed his frustration and recognized that the girl had a point. It did sound more like the Lieutenant in a formal manner. Terry straightened and placed her free hand on his other shoulder. She started to squeeze and knead the tight muscles in his shoulders and neck. Oh, he wished she would quit that . . . maybe in a year or two. It felt too good.

“I see your point,” he admitted.

“Can I look at the handwritten one?” she asked. 

Her hands still worked his shoulders, but her mind was obviously on what was in the typewriter. Reluctantly, Actor pushed the chair back and turned it toward the desk, adding the top paper he was copying to the stack. He was afraid to lose those soothing hands. He lost one of them as she leaned against his shoulder and looked at the papers, but the other continued to distractedly work his far shoulder. He looked at her, surprised to see she was now absorbed in the papers on the desk.

“Cripes,” Terry said impressed. “No wonder Ma likes to get letters from you. Your handwriting is beautiful!” She turned eyes to his and asked with suspicion, “By the way, just what do you write to my mother?”

“What a marmocchia you are,” he replied casually.

“You do bring that out in me,” she parried back. 

Actor snorted at that. Terry leaned forward with more weight on his shoulder. The other hand had slipped to the bend of his neck and was gently massaging. 

“Okay, that sounds more like you than Craig,” she said, pointing to a line. She picked up the pencil. “May I?”

He nodded. She struck out the line and tried to get at a better angle to write above his words. He was conscious that her hand was slipping from his neck and besides that her chest was getting closer to his cheek. Too much temptation. He plucked the pencil from her hand.

“You dictate and I will make the changes,” he said.

Terry straightened a little and both hands went back to rubbing his shoulders distractedly, as she read from behind him. They started reading aloud and making corrections as they went. When the paper had been revised to the satisfaction of both, Terry flicked the side of his upper arm with the backs of her fingers.

“Either give me the chair so I can type or I’m going to sit on you,” she threatened.

Now there was a thought. Actor gave himself a mental shake. He was definitely in need of a visit to Elizabeth. Teresa was becoming too tempting. He pushed back again and rose, side stepping and making an extravagant gesture for Teresa to be seated. She plopped into the chair and turned it toward the typewriter again.

“You have a warm culo, caro,” she teased.

“Thank you,” he replied with a tinge of sarcasm.

Actor moved a small pile of files that were on the corner of Garrison’s desk and sat one hip on it, reaching for his pipe. As he emptied and refilled the pipe, he watched the girl replace the papers in the typewriter with two clean sheets and a new carbon. While he smoked, he had to admit, though he was proficient enough, Teresa typed faster than he did.

“I thought you were a nurse, not a secretary,” he remarked.

“So did I,” she replied, concentrating on her work. “I had to learn quickly if I wanted to take over some of Dad’s lieutenant’s duties.”

“If you didn’t get along with your father, then why did you try to stay?”

“The alternative was worse.”

“And that was?” Actor asked with curiosity.

“Going back to the ranch for the duration.” She changed the subject. “I’m also good with bookkeeping, in case you need someone to handle your books on all that money you supposedly have.”

She missed the small grin that came to his face. If she only knew how much money he had accumulated in a half dozen different banks between Switzerland, the Bahamas, England and America, she would choke. 

“I am perfectly capable of keeping my few accounts in order,” he replied with false modesty.

They sat together until Terry finished typing the report and placed the sheets in a manila folder on the desk. She rose and stood in front of the con man. He took a puff on his pipe and blew the smoke away from her.

“I appreciate your assistance, cara,” said Actor quietly.

“I appreciate yours,” she replied. Smiling, she added, “Bless your larcenous little heart for covering Craig’s rear end.”

Actor shrugged one shoulder. “I am merely acting in my best interest.”

Sure, it was in the confidence man’s best interest, but she also knew the man well enough now to know that wasn’t his only concern. She smiled and bent forward to place a light kiss on the corner of his mouth. One masculine eyebrow went up. Terry stepped away and headed for the door. 

Actor picked up the handwritten papers and got up to walk to the small fireplace in the office. The pipe was clamped in his teeth as he removed his lighter and set fire to the corner of the papers, making sure they were well alight before depositing them in the fireplace. He stood and watched them burn to ashes.

Terry let herself out of the office. Chief and Goniff were sitting at the gaming table. Casino was missing. They were up to something, but Terry wasn’t sure what. She took a seat in the chair by the window and watched. Actor came out of the office as Casino was coming down the stairs.

“’Ey, Actor,” said Goniff cheerily. “Ave a seat. Casino’s gonna divvy up the loot.”

Actor pulled a chair out and sat down. Casino dropped several bundles of currency on the table and two velvet bags tied with cords. The safecracker divided up the currency into four piles on the game table. It came to a nice little sum for each in francs. Next, he opened the first of the little velvet bags and poured the contents on the table. It got various surprised responses from the four men gathered around. There were diamonds; lots of diamonds in different colors and sizes. The sight of them even brought a broad smile to Actor’s face.

The con man and sometimes jewel thief rose and went to the library, returning with a loupe. Chief pulled one of the floor lamps closer. They all watched the Italian fit the loupe in his right eye and hold one of the larger diamonds up under the light.

“Beautiful,” he breathed. “Very few flaws.” He picked up one after another and examined them. “These are very high quality.”

Terry got up from the chair and wandered over to the table to see what held the men’s interest so animatedly. She looked at the piles of money and then the small pile of gems.

“Are those . . .?” she started to ask in awe.

“Diamonds?” asked Actor in amusement. “Yes.”

Casino picked up a pear shaped one of moderate size and tossed it to the woman. She caught it one-handed, picked it up between thumb and first finger and held it up to examine it closely.

“Keep it. Souvenir,” said Casino.

“I wasn’t with you,” objected Terry. She held the gem in the palm of her hand and moved it around with a forefinger. “Got any emeralds to go with it?” she teased.

“Give the woman a diamond and she wants emeralds,” teased the safecracker back. Casino opened the other velvet sack and dumped an almost equal number of the green jewels on the table. “Your wish is my command, Babe.”

Terry stared at the take. “I was just joking.”

Actor sorted through the emeralds with a forefinger, separating two of like size from the others. He picked one up and examined it through the loupe, then did the same with the other. Satisfied, he handed them to the girl.

“I was just joking,” she repeated. 

“We aren’t,” assured Goniff.

“You might as well get somethin’ outta this,” added Chief.

Actor set the loupe on the table. He looked up to see Teresa looking between him and loupe. The woman’s thirst for knowledge was becoming insatiable.

“Not tonight, Teresa,” he said.

“Whatsa matter, Beautiful? Gotta headache?” asked Casino dirtily.

Terry couldn’t quite stifle a laugh. The other two cons were grinning at the play on words. Actor gave Casino a disgusted look, pushed back his chair and got up, walking wordlessly upstairs.

“Bloke really ‘as lost ‘is sense of ‘umor,” remarked Goniff.

“Guess it’s understandable,” said Chief seriously, “considering he’s taken the brunt of everything from the Warden.”

Terry immediately felt contrite for laughing at the con man’s expense. She closed her hand over the gems.

“Good night, Guys,” she said. “I’m going to bed. I have second watch with Craig tonight. Thanks for the gems.”  
“Sure, Babe,” replied Casino.

The others wished her a good night and they all went back to dividing up the jewels.

Terry went up to her room and walked over to her dresser. The little silver jewel box Actor had given her for her birthday was sitting atop it. She opened the box and carefully put the jewels inside. Well, no diamond earrings yet, but this was a start. She closed the lid and ran a finger in appreciation over the top.

GGG

Actor, wearing a gray suit and dark tie, closed the manila file folder over the typed papers and slipped the folder into the Lieutenant’s briefcase. The wheels were now set in motion. There was nothing more he could do to ensure this plan would work. The con man had debriefed with Major Schaeffer before, but had only interacted briefly with Colonel Hammond in a joint debrief with Garrison. That Hammond did not like the team was a given. None of the Brass seemed to. Well, if he could successfully con a Field Marshall then he should have no problem with a colonel. Actor closed the briefcase, locked it, and placed the key in his pocket. He allowed the handcuff to dangle from the handle, having no desire or need to wear it. Taking a final puff from the stub of his cigarette, he rubbed it out in Garrison’s ashtray. Actor picked up the briefcase and opened the door to enter the common room, stopping short in a flash of anger.

Terry was standing by the gaming table wearing a severe dark green skirt and long-sleeved cream-colored blouse topped with a green military cut suit jacket. She had the salvaged green hat on and carried gloves in her hand. The girl stood watching the con man. Now what, wondered Actor in frustration.

“Who are you debriefing with?” asked Terry.

“Col. Hammond,” answered Actor curtly.

Terry shook her head, “Allied Command. I’ll drive.”

Actor’s frustration level soared and his patience was about to give out. First the Warden and now his sister. “What is it, Teresa? You think I am not capable of handling a debriefing by myself?” Dio, and he had been thinking of trying to persuade Elizabeth into taking a little ‘afternoon nap’ before he returned to the Mansion.

“No,” replied Terry, not rising to his defensive manner. “I know you are perfectly capable of doing it alone. My clearance can get you into Allied Command easier than trying to track down Hammond and going through the search and guards that he would attach to it. I know you can get in. I just want to make sure you come out. I can’t let them take you. We need you, Actor. I’ve never had to manipulate Hammond. I don’t know if I have enough clout to do that. But I have some leverage and it’s more than you have. I’m sorry if I’m stepping on your toes again, but my main concern has to be what is in the group’s best interest, and right now, whether any of you like it or not, Actor, you are the group’s best interest.”

For a brief moment, the Italian wondered if returning to Alcatraz would be a relief, but almost instantly ruled that one out.

“She’s right, Mate,” said Goniff. “If we don’t ‘ave the Warden, and we don’t ‘ave you, then we all end up back in stir.”

Terry looked at the tall man, willing him to understand. “They won’t let me lead the group without you. And I have learned, I do not like or trust working a con with anyone else but you.”

Actor looked around at the faces looking back at him; Casino for once in agreement, Goniff already backing Terry’s plan, and Chief giving an infinitesimal nod. So much for a much needed liaison with Elizabeth. Dio, he hated leading the group. Well, he could look at this like a con behind enemy lines. Get in, disseminate the true and the false information and get out before they could be captured. 

“We will take your car,” said Actor. “It is faster in case we have to leave quickly.”

To her credit, the girl did not smile at his capitulation, but quietly followed him out the door. She trotted behind him down the steps and over to the green sports car. The Italian held the driver’s door open, allowing Teresa to drive. The top was up on the car, and she turned the heater on briefly to warm the interior up. 

They rode the twenty minutes to the junction with the main road to London in silence. Terry cast an eye at the tense man beside her. He stared straight ahead, the briefcase upright on his lap, hands clasp around the handle. The handcuffs swung and bounced with the roughness of the road.

“I seem to step on your toes a lot, Actor,” she said cautiously. “It isn’t intentional. I’m not trying to take control,” she said. “I hope you understand that.” There was no response from the confidence man. “I wish you would see my clearance as a tool for you to use; something that would make things easier for you.”

The silence stretched on. Finally, Actor spoke. “Your plan has merit, Teresa,” he admitted. There was another pause. He would never speak like this in front of the others but knew that Teresa would keep it to herself. “I have much on my mind. I reacted without thinking it through first.”

Terry watched the road, keeping her eyes off the big man. “I realize a lot has happened. And whether you admit it or not, you tend to worry, about as much as Craig does. You’re turning into a good leader,” she said. “I think maybe Craig is rubbing off on you. And you’re rubbing off on Craig.”

Actor turned his head to look at her, wondering if she found that to be a good thing or not.

She glanced at him now. “He has always been good at the con. Since being around you, he’s getting better. I hope I am,” she added.

“You are, Teresa,” acknowledged the master confidence man. He was not yet ready to admit to her or anyone else how much he enjoyed and trusted working with her.

That, short answer coming from Actor, gave a boost her ego needed. She nodded her thanks. 

They drove for a while in an easier silence, passing lorries and slower farm vehicles. Something Teresa had said at the mansion returned to Actor’s mind.

“What did you mean when you said you do not like or trust working a con with anyone else?” he asked. “Have you been working with someone else?”

“Yes,” answered Terry. “I have gone in a couple times with another group while you guys have been on a mission.”

“Does the Warden know this?” asked Actor, trying to hide the concern he felt at this revelation.

“I haven’t told him,” said Terry. “I don’t know if he’s heard it or not. Major Richards is my handler.”

Actor did not like this at all. “Who is your confidence man?” He wondered if it was someone he was familiar with.

Terry cocked an exasperated glance at him, both of them knowing she couldn’t tell him that. “Let’s just say, he isn’t you.” She watched the road. “What’s scary is you’re teaching me, and I’m going in teaching him. And what’s scarier is that when I go in with the group, I’m the Second.”

“You are capable,” admitted the older man. He now studied the woman’s profile. She was studiously ignoring him. “You are learning more than from working with an inferior group,” he said with a faint touch of ego at being part of what he considered to be a superior team. “Who else are you working with, besides the Army?” It was a calculated guess on his part. He was curious to see her response. It was a little slow in coming.

“If I was working with ‘somebody else’,” she said, “I would not tell you who. It would be better for you not to know . . . if that was the case.”

The corner of Actor’s mouth turned up in a small grin of amusement. “Teresa, I do not need protecting.”

“How do you know?”

The grin turned into a frown. “What are you doing?” he demanded to know in a quiet, but stern voice.

“I’m not doing anything,” replied Terry innocently, still not looking at him.

“Why don’t I believe you, cara?”

Terry smiled, “Because you are a suspicious person?”

Oh, how she wished she could talk to him about Jaguar. She so wanted to pick his brain. Jake was doing fairly well with setting up a bigger network, but face it, Craig and Actor could do it a whole lot better. The ex-surgeon had made several trips to the area outside of Paris, meeting with the Maquis to link some of Jaguar’s cells with them to help get downed airmen to the Comet Line. Terry had gotten to know some of their cells and Maquis cells in middle France. She was going to try to work something out there as soon as she could get back in. She wondered what the man beside her and her brother would think if they knew how much she was really working on the Continent. And they thought she was just sitting at home, eating bonbons and working an occasional night at the bar.

Actor had watched the girl’s talents grow and it wasn’t just from observing and learning from him and Garrison. Both men had confided to each other their fear she would try to branch out. Apparently, their fears were not unfounded. She was learning under fire so to speak, and her base was what he had taught her. He could not stop her, so he would just have to step up her training and teach her more. If she died while working a con, he would be more than partially to blame. Wonderful, he thought with disgust. When had he gained all this responsibility he seemed to have? He had a responsibility to keep the team together until Garrison was recovered and to some extent, he was responsible for the lieutenant’s health, and he was responsible for Teresa’s safety. It had been so much easier when his only responsibility had been himself. Ah, but to go back to that would be at the price of the friendship of the lieutenant, Teresa, and the other men. And somehow those friendships had become very important to him. Best not to dwell on this now. Better to concentrate on the meeting with Hammond.

GGG

They entered the forbidding stone building, getting past the guards flanking the door on the flash of Terry’s clearance card. Side-by-side they approached the armed guard at a desk just inside the door. Terry said nothing and made no move as Actor took a step forward.

His demeanor was military but not as harsh as when he was impersonating an SS officer. “Victor Borghese. I have an appointment with Col. Hammond.” 

Actor’s voice held the right tone of authority. For a moment, Terry thought he was going to get away with it. The young man looked up at the formidable man without intimidation.

“Your papers, Sir,” he commanded.

“We’re together,” said Terry calmly. 

She presented her card. The guard looked between her and the picture on her card. Satisfied, he handed the card back and presented both of them with a tag to clip on collars. The two turned and walked toward the staircase, Terry a step ahead of Actor, not by her intent. Having been in Allied Command enough times before to know her way around, she headed straight for Hammond’s office. 

The last time Actor had been here, he had been separated from Garrison and taken to Major Johns’ office. This would be the first time he set foot in Hammond’s inner sanctum. As they approached the door, the confidence man was surprised to see Terry stop and take a seat on a bench along the wall. He paused and looked at her with one raised eyebrow.

“You don’t need me,” said Terry unconcerned. “There’s only one way in and one way out. If you come out in handcuffs, I’ll just kidnap you,” she whispered to him.

“I hope you have a better plan than that,” said Actor wryly.

Terry shrugged. “I’ll think on it.”

She watched him enter Col. Hammond’s outer office. After the door closed was when she allowed the worried expression to return to her face.


	7. Chapter 7

Terry spent two hours on the hard, wooden bench before the door opened again and Actor stepped out. He was alone. Terry’s eyes went immediately to the briefcase. It was held by the handle, the handcuff still dangling. She gave an inward sigh of relief. Terry had been half afraid Hammond would try to send them in again without Garrison. She rose from her seat and without a word, the two made their way downstairs and out of the building. 

On the sidewalk, they strolled down the street toward the car. Terry was on Actor’s side with the briefcase. He started to shift the case to his other hand, but she slipped her hand inside his upper arm and squeezed lightly. The muscles under her fingers were firm through the jacket, though not tense.

“It went well,” said Actor in a low voice.

“Never had any doubts about your side of it,” replied the girl in the same low voice.

“Would you like to eat before driving back?” asked the Italian.

“That would be nice,” replied Terry. “Not the Savoy. Takes too long.” She looked up at him. “Do you mind eating with military types? There’s a place around the corner Craig and I have both eaten at. It’s vetted. It caters to the place we just left.”

“Wherever you wish, Teresa,” said Actor.

Terry took him into a non-descript eatery. They waited behind a Major and a Colonel. When it was their turn Actor requested a private room if possible. The look he got in return was wary.

“The front is fine,” inserted Terry quickly. 

Actor’s inscrutable look never changed. He had glanced around as they entered, noting linen table cloths and no rank above captain on the uniformed patrons. There was a mix of younger low-ranking officers and people of both sexes dressed as he and Teresa. They were led to a vacant table. Actor seated Teresa and took a seat with his back to the wall, facing the room. They both were angled to face the door. 

After they had been given menus and left to themselves, Terry leaned toward Actor and whispered, “The Brass have their own separate area. We have no rank. We eat with the peons.”

Actor eyed her. “I trust you have eaten there before?”

Terry nodded. “Kevin took me there once.”

“You seem to spend a bit of time with Major Richards,” remarked the con man as though making small talk.

Terry wondered at that. “He is my handler,” she reminded him.

Actor did not pursue it. He had been a bit concerned coming into this place with the briefcase, but a casual eye spotted several others beside chairs. None were handcuffed to wrists.

“I’m surprised there isn’t an eating establishment in the complex itself,” he said.

“There is,” replied Terry. “The food is better here.”

Each was enjoying a large bowl of a hearty vegetable soup when Terry spotted someone come in the door. Her head came up and a finger rested across her lips as she watched. Actor followed her gaze to a blond lieutenant, several years younger than Garrison. He was about Casino’s height, hair slightly long for the Army, more in line with Garrison’s cut, and boyish good looks that made him look even younger than the Warden did. The younger man’s eyes swept the room. When they lit on Terry, she raised her fingers and beckoned him over. With a wide grin, he made his way to their table. Actor stood.

The lieutenant’s attention was on Terry. “Hi Terr,” he greeted familiarly, nodding to the aristocratic man.

“Pull up a seat and join us,” invited Terry.

“Thanks,” replied the officer. 

The lieutenant looked at the taller, older man, noting icy eyes that should have been a warm shade of brown. It made him wary. Terry looked between the two and stifled a smile.

“Victor Borghese, Lt. Randall Johnson.”

Actor observed the sharp look the man gave him. Obviously, he knew Actor’s official name. The confidence man did not like being at the disadvantage. Lt. Johnson thrust a hand out across the table.

“A pleasure to meet you, Sir,” he said enthusiastically.

Actor gave a short nod and shook the hand firmly. He motioned the officer to have a seat. They both sat, facing each other. Actor felt Terry’s hand under the table squeeze his leg.

“Va bene,” she said casually.

Actor trusted her and forced himself to relax and smile benignly. Johnson looked at Terry, but his eyes darted back and forth between her and Actor.

“Say, Terr, can I . . .” started the young man.

“No!” interrupted Terry firmly in a whisper. “Randy, if you even try, Craig will break you in two and I’ll finish the job.”

“Too bad,” said Johnson with regret. “You know . . .” he left it off at that.

“Oh, I do know,” acknowledged Terry. “And you can’t have him,” she hissed in below a whisper.

Dio! This must be who Teresa was going on missions with. The puppy dog had the abilities of a gnat. He was obviously not a confidence man. “I would suggest we find a more innocuous subject,” Actor said haughtily in a very low voice.

Oh scheisse, thought Terry. Actor was seriously annoyed.

“So, how’s Craig?” asked the officer. “He’s not with you?”

That was not an improvement, thought Terry wearily. She spent the rest of the meal steering the conversations to the type of innocuous subjects that Actor had suggested. Eventually both men relaxed. She was relieved when the meal was over, and Actor had paid the bill for all three meals. Randy gave her a kiss on the cheek before excusing himself and going over to another table to speak with another lieutenant.

As Actor and Teresa walked down the street, the Italian held his hand out. Teresa let go of his arm, pulled the car keys from her shoulder bag, and dropped them in the palm of his hand. He opened the passenger door, allowed Teresa to get in and handed her the briefcase. She slipped it under her legs with her purse as he waited for traffic to clear before walking around to climb into the driver’s seat. The con man drove sedately out of London. Once beyond the outskirts of town, he sped up to drive a bit faster than Teresa had coming in. 

“Teresa . . .” Actor finally broke the silence in the car.

“Don’t say it,” said Terry. “I know. It’s the price I have to pay to stay with our group.”

“It’s dangerous,” persisted the Italian.

“Yes,” agreed Terry. “Going in with Randy’s group is dangerous. Going in with you guys is dangerous. Staying in England is dangerous.”

“Do you find it so distasteful to take care of us at the Mansion?” probed Actor.

Terry reached over and rubbed his forearm. “Actor, I am happy to take care of all of you when you are sick or injured. I truly don’t mind the cooking and cleaning, even though it’s against my nature. Bu, I can’t just sit around and play maid and cook and nurse. I have to do more. I’m in this now. I can’t stop.” We’ve been over all this before, she thought in frustration.

Actor lifted her hand from his arm and pressed a kiss to its back before releasing it.

“Does it bother you that much?” she asked curiously.

“I am merely saying it is dangerous.” He wasn’t about to admit anything more.

Terry sat back in her seat and looked forward. “I worry about you too, Actor.”

He did not respond to that. Though he worried about her too, he would never admit it. It gave the woman too much leverage against him if he did. Though for some reason, he was certain she would not try to hold it over him. Still, he could and would not take the chance.

GGG

Upon arriving back at the Mansion, Actor returned the briefcase to Garrison’s office. He and Terry went upstairs to change into more comfortable clothes. They went to the Lieutenant’s open door first to check on him.

Christine got up quickly, a big smile on her face, and joined them in the hall, pulling the door partway shut behind her.

“He woke up twice while you two were gone,” she said in a whisper. “He knew where he was and who I am.” She looked apologetically at Actor. “And he wasn’t cussing anyone out this time.”

Probably because he did not see me, thought the con man cynically. “How is the fever?” he asked.

Crystal’s smile turned into a puckered look of frustration. “It’s still going up and down. It’s up now and he’s out again. I did get some more aspirin in him.”

“Sounds like a start, I hope,” said Terry. “Let me change clothes and I’ll give you a break from him for awhile.”

Chris nodded and looked questioningly at Actor, who seemed to be their medical person. “Is there anything else I should be doing for Craig?” she asked.

Actor gave her a smile of approval. “You are doing just fine, Christine,” he assured her. “I know you are taking good care of him.”

The smile and gentle words had the desired effect of putting the younger girl at ease. Chris nodded and went back in the bedroom. The other two went to their rooms. 

After changing into her usual trousers and blouse, Terry took over sitting with her brother. She picked up the paper Actor had given her the day before and began reading it again. Chris went out in the hall as Actor was coming from his room. They spoke briefly before heading downstairs.

“Was that Actor in the hall?”

Terry looked up, startled at the weak voice. Blue-green hazel eyes looked at her, clear, but dark rimmed. She lowered the paper to her lap, hopeful, but wary of her brother’s state of mind.

“Yes, that was Actor.”

“Why didn’t he come in?” asked Garrison.

Because you tried to kill him, twice, thought Terry. “He didn’t want to disturb you.”

Craig frowned at that. Actor always watched over them, like a mother hen at times, if they were injured or ill. He felt like road kill. His mind did not want to function. He knew where he was and was relieved he was safely back in England. He just wished he remembered more. Eyelids were heavy and did not want to stay open. A cool hand touched his forehead.

Terry felt the dry heat that still rose from Garrison’s head. “You want some water?”

“Yes,” he managed to get out.

Terry came closer, helped him lift his head and held the water glass from the night table to his lips. He gulped down the entire glass of water. That act was tiring in itself, and he slipped back to sleep.

Easing back into her chair, Terry contemplated her brother. He was still very feverish, but he had not made any wild accusations or moves, merely asking after Actor. She picked up the paper and resumed reading.

GGGGG

Later that afternoon, while Chris was sitting with Craig, Terry walked out the back door intent on doing some gardening. She was surprised to find Actor out with hand clippers, nipping and tucking at the rose bushes. A smile came to her face when he pricked his thumb on a thorn and popped the bleeding digit in his mouth.

“There are work gloves in the mud room,” she offered as she approached.

He turned his head to give her a rueful look, removing the offended thumb from his mouth. “I had not planned on doing this,” he said.

Terry allowed affection to show through the smile she turned on him. He had been getting some sleep, but still looked worn out.

“I’m going to work in the garden for awhile,” she said.

“Would you care for some assistance?” he offered.

Terry looked at him with a small frown. “If you really want to,” she said. “Actor, you do not strike me as the vegetable garden type. What’s up?”

The con man shook his head. “Casino and Goniff are just too noisy in there right now. I would like some quiet. But I would appreciate your company.”

“Well, you don’t have to work. How about I’ll pull weeds and you sit and talk with me?”

“That would be nice,” smiled the Italian.

“Tell me about the Riviera,” prompted Terry as they moved over to the garden. “I doubt we were there at the same time. I think I would have remembered you.”

Actor gave the first laugh she had heard since the men had returned. He folded his legs and sat cross-legged on the grass. “And how old were you at the time, cara?”

“Thirteen, going on twenty,” replied Terry. She knelt between rows of beans and began clearing out the endless weeds.

“I doubt at thirteen you would have been interested in me,” said Actor with amusement.

“Don’t bank on it,” said Terry. “I was very old for my years. Zia and Kat taught me to work the casinos.”

Actor looked at her, startled. “Thirteen and you were trying to pick up men?” It wasn’t unheard of in Europe, but not Teresa.

“No, Dear,” said Terry with a laugh. “I was working the gaming tables playing cards. I am quite good you know.”

“Cheat?” asked Actor in interest.

“A little,” admitted the girl. “Oh, not near as good as you. I can spot Casino, but I’m not good enough to take him.”

“Can you use a marked deck?” probed Actor, intrigued in spite of himself.

Terry moved forward, sat back on her heels and looked at him. “I’m not great at it. I can’t mark them.” She went back to weeding. “Zia had a boyfriend who used a marked deck. Taught her how to read them. She taught me.” Terry smiled to herself. “I think he was a bit of a gigolo. Not to her, but she said he was a ladies’ man.” 

“And what happened to this ladies’ man?” asked Actor. He didn’t really care, but he wanted Teresa to keep talking. 

“What happens to all gigolos?” she said cynically. “He was with her for a season. They seemed madly in love with each other, but he walked out on her and she never saw him again.”

“And she never forgave him,” said Actor lightly. “Did she become an old maid?”

Terry laughed at the teasing tone. “Zia? Not hardly.” She cocked her head, thinking. “In a way she reminds me of your Elizabeth.”

“In looks?” asked Actor, curiously.

Terry shook her head. “Not so much. They’re both light haired, but that’s about it. No, they’re both independently wealthy. Never worked a day in their lives. And both like men. And they can afford to pick and choose who their companions are.”

“Your zia sounds like a woman after my own heart,” said Actor with a touch of the dramatic.

Terry chuckled. “Any woman is after your own heart.”

“Except you.” Actor wasn’t sure why he said that.

“Except me,” replied Terry lightly. “I’m not into casual sex and you’re not into committed relationships so that pretty much lets us out for each other.”

“I’m sure I could teach you a few things, cara,” teased the con man.

Terry gave a harrumph. “You are so full of it. What makes you think I couldn’t teach you something?”

The silence made her look at him. One eyebrow was arched and an arrogant expression of disbelief was on his face. Terry reached down and plucked a radish, flinging it at him. He ducked his head as it flew past his right ear and chuckled. At least he was laughing. It was better than the solemn man he had been since returning from the mission, even if it was at her expense.

GGGGG

The next morning dawned the same as the previous one. Garrison was being watched by Terry again. He had surfaced briefly a couple times, but the fever stubbornly refused to break despite aspirin, willow bark tea, and cool cloths. She fervently wished they would hear something about the new medicine, even if they were only clutching at straws.

Christine had finished washing the breakfast dishes and left the kitchen to go relieve Terry. She knew her older sister had to be under a terrible strain as she tried to deal with Craig and also with Actor, so she tried to sit with Craig as much as possible.  
The men were arranged in the common room as though they had not moved from the night before. The only difference was they were quiet. Too quiet. Chris almost wished Casino would pick a fight with someone just to break up the somber mood. She started up the stairs but stopped when the phone rang. She reached over the railing to pick up the receiver, aware of the tense looks from all four of the men.

“Mansion . . . who? Oh, yes. Just a moment, please.” She turned to the common room. “Actor, it’s for you.” She held her hand over the mouthpiece as Actor rose from his chair and crossed the room. “He asked for ‘Mr. Borghese’,” she whispered.

Actor nodded and took the phone from her. “This is Victor Borghese.”

Chris gripped the railing and watched Actor’s face. The other three men watched also, not knowing what was going on. Phone calls were usually trouble and Actor never answered with his name.

“Yes, Sir . . . Ah, that is wonderful news . . . We greatly appreciate your assistance in this matter . . . Yes, I will be leaving immediately . . . Thank you, Sir.”

Actor hung up the phone.

“What?” asked Chief.

The confidence man ignored him, turning eyes on the girl. “Christine, I am in need of your sister. Hurry please.”

He turned to get his jacket from the coat tree to the questions of the three other cons as Christine bounded up the stairs. Shrugging into the tan leather jacket, he held a hand up to the cacophony of male voices.  
“What are you pullin’ now, Actor?” persisted Casino.  
“I am not ‘pulling’ anything,” replied Actor, hard-pressed to control his temper. He really did not want to take the time to explain everything.

Terry came bouncing down the stairs. She stopped and looked cautiously at the Italian, noting he already had a jacket on.

“Teresa, I need you and your clearance.”

“Terry gave the tall man a startled look at that. He was watching her impatiently. “Uh, sure, Actor. Where are we going?”

“Archbury. You can get me onto the base easier than waiting for the guard to get permission.”

“Okay.” Terry’s face widened into a big grin as she realized the medicine must have arrived. She quickly grabbed Casino’s bomber jacket and her purse.

“Hey!” objected the safecracker loudly.

“I’ll bring it back,” called Terry, hurrying out the door held open by the con man.

Chief watched the two out the window. Actor’s long legs took him rapidly toward Terry’s MG. The girl was running to keep up with him, shrugging into the jacket. She pulled keys from her purse and tossed them to Actor. For once, the aristocratic man did not open her door for her. Instead, the two got in, Actor behind the wheel, and the car took off with a short screech of tires.

“Dang, her drivin’s rubbin’ off on him,” remarked the Indian in surprise. 

“So now wot’s going on?” asked Goniff.

Chris had come partially down the stairs. “Where are they going? Did they say?”

“Archbury,” replied Casino. “Be nice if they’d let the rest of us in on whatever they got up their sleeves.” He made a face of disgust.

Chris grinned. “The medicine must have come in.” All eyes were on the younger girl now. “Actor found out about this new medicine they’re using in North Africa. He talked with Major Kaiser about it. The Major said he would look into it. He must have gotten hold of some.”

“Yeah,” said Chief with concern. “But if the air force knows how bad ‘a shape the Warden’s in, aren’t they gonna tell the army? Won’t that get Garrison in trouble?”

Chris shrugged with a frown. “Hopefully those two can con their way out of trouble.”

GGG

Craig resurfaced slowly in his mind. He still felt something akin to road kill. His body ached and his head felt like a balloon that could have happily burst. His eyes opened to the familiar crack in the plaster of the ceiling above his bed and moved to see his youngest sister sitting in the chair beside him. Crystal was seemingly engrossed in a book, but the pages were slow in turning and frequently she glanced at him under lowered eyelashes. 

His brain still did not want to function correctly, and Garrison knew he was still in the throes of a fever. He still didn’t know how he had arrived back in England. There were still those odd dreams. All he knew was that Terry and Chris had been taking care of him. Of the men, he didn’t know what was happening. He didn’t remember anybody coming into his room, but he had heard low voices from the hall on occasion. They seemed to be avoiding him. Even Terry was cautious. Why? Something had happened, but Garrison was hanged if he knew what it was. Terry was tough and if she didn’t want to tell him, she wouldn’t. Chris was a bit more malleable.

“All right, tell me what’s going on,” he said in his best military voice under the circumstances, though it came out in a gravelly whisper.

Chris looked up, startled. “What?” she asked with a forced innocence.

“Chris, you couldn’t con your way out of a paper bag with me,” replied Craig, thankful his voice was a little stronger this time. “I want to know what is going on. Everyone is either avoiding me or walking on eggshells. Something happened. I want to know what.”

Chris wished Terry was here. She didn’t want to deal with this, especially since she hadn’t been on the mission with them, but Terry and Actor weren’t here. Crystal closed her book and mentally prepared herself to run like a scared rabbit, which she readily admitted she was.

“I wasn’t there, Craig,” she hedged. “I have only heard parts of it.”

“Where’s Actor?” he asked. Actor concerned him the most. The confidence man and Terry had always taken turns sitting with him when he was sick or injured.

“He’s not here,” replied Chris.

“He went over to the Germans,” he said with quiet regret. No, that wasn’t right, thought Garrison in confusion.

“He did not!” said Chris forcefully. “He went to Archbury with Terry,” she said in a softer voice. “He read about some new experimental medicine the Army has come up with for the soldiers in North Africa who are getting that strange malaria and fevers like you get. They are trying to get hold of some without raising the alarm with Allied Command.”

Garrison looked at his youngest sister in frustration. “You’re not going to tell me what happened?”

“I’m not the one to ask.” She wanted very much to leave.

“Then get somebody who can tell me! I want to know what happened!”

She didn’t need to be told twice. She bolted from the room.


	8. Chapter 8

Christine wanted very much to run to Rainey but couldn’t in front of the other men. The others didn’t know about the two of them, and if Craig found out, in the mood he was in . . . She didn’t know what to do. Why did Craig have to wait until Terry was gone to decide he wanted to hear the story and hear it now? She bounded down the stairs and came to a halt at the bottom. Her eyes swept the men arrayed around the room. 

The three men looked up at her rapid arrival and her obvious distress.

“What’s wrong?” asked Chief.

Christine shook her head, close to tears. “He wants to know what happened. He wants to know why you are all avoiding him. I couldn’t tell him.”

The tears started. Nobody moved. 

Poor kid, thought Casino. The Warden probably hadn’t been very nice to her either. He rose and walked over to her and in a gesture that should have been foreign to him put his arms around the girl. 

“It’s all right, Baby,” he said gently.

Chris leaned into him and wrapped her arms tightly around his waist, crying into his shoulder, grateful for somebody to lean on. “He wants to talk to one of you.”

The other two men got up and came over to them. Casino looked from one to the other. Chief wasn’t that good at talking. Goniff would blow it all to pieces. That left him. He doubted Actor would want to do it.

“I’ll go talk to him,” volunteered the safecracker reluctantly. 

He looked down at the girl who was clinging to him and back up at the other two men. To his surprise, Chief, who wasn’t into touchy-feely, was the one who stepped forward and guided Chris into his embrace. 

“Good luck, Mate,” said Goniff, glad it wasn’t him going to talk to the Warden.

“No luck to it,” said Casino with resignation . “At least he doesn’t have a gun this time.”

GGG

Craig looked up as one of the men entered the room. It was Casino. There was no grin on the man’s face, but also no anger. So, the safecracker had been elected to do the task. Well, it wouldn’t be tactful, but it would be truthful. He watched Casino take the book off the chair and toss it on the bed; he turned the chair around and straddled it, crossing his arms atop the back.

“Where do yuh wanna start?” asked the safecracker.

“How about the beginning,” replied Garrison shortly.

“You were a little late leavin’ the airplane,” started Casino in his usual sarcastic tone.

“Chief’s chute didn’t open . . .”

GGG

The front door opened and Actor escorted Teresa into the foyer. Something about the mood in the house made them both look into the common room. Christine was sitting at the table, tight up against Chief who was sitting beside her. She appeared to have been crying. A tissue box with some wadded up tissues sat on the table next to a half empty cup of tea. Goniff was sitting on the other side of her, but not as close at the Indian was.

“Now what?” asked Terry with dread.

Actor was frowning as he wondered the same thing.

Casino came stomping down the stairs. “’Bout time you got back,” he growled to Terry and Actor. The attention of the two turned to him. “He wanted to know. Now he knows.”

“O-kay,” said Terry slowly, afraid to ask just what the safecracker had told her brother.

“And what was his reaction?” asked the con man in his usual unperturbed manner that masked the dread he feeling.

“Quiet. Real quiet,” replied Casino, stopping in front of the two. “He didn’t say nuthin’. Just kinda pulled into himself again.” The safecracker paused.

“Then what?” prompted Terry.

“Then nuthin’. He wasn’t talkin’, so I left.”

Terry sighed and held her hand out in front of Actor. “Give me the medicine. He thinks you were trying to poison him. Better if I give it to him right now.”

Actor conceded to the logic of that and handed her a small bottle of yellow pills. He was not about to allow her to take it to the Warden alone. He would be standing outside the door, ready to intervene if the man became violent.

“You got it?” asked Chris hopefully.

“Yes,” replied Actor.

“It’s nasty stuff, but it might work,” added Terry.

She walked up the stairs, followed by the confidence man, and went into Craig’s room. Garrison silently watched her check his water glass. It was empty, so she picked it up and took it into the bathroom and filled it from the sink tap. She returned and set the glass on the night table. A bottle of yellow pills was held up so he could see it.

“New anti-malaria medicine,” said Terry matter-of-factly. “I’m told it tastes like crap and if you take enough of it, you might turn a little yellow. Doc Kaiser says to take one a day until you’re over this.”

She tipped a pill out of the bottle into her palm, capped the bottle, and set it on the table. She held her hand out to him and picked up the water glass in her other hand. Garrison looked at the tablet with distrust. He knew Terry wouldn’t do anything that might harm him, so he popped the pill in his mouth and quickly washed it down, screwing up his face at the horrible taste it left behind.

“What are you trying to do . . .?” he started to say.

“I’d stop right there if I were you,” interrupted Terry. “Really poor choice of words. Even if I wasn’t there.”

Garrison frowned and looked questioningly at his sister. “Casino told me what happened. I don’t know. It doesn’t make sense. It was so real. Actor sold out to the Germans for a higher price. He was taking the others with him. I saw him in uniform.”

“For heaven’s sake, Craig,” said Terry, only allowing a little bit of her exasperation to show through. “Look around. Does this look like the Fatherland? And as for the German uniform, you and Actor both wear one when you’re pulling a con on a mission. I even wore one once, remember?”

Craig shook his head as though trying to clear it. That was the wrong thing to do. The headache came back with full force. He just could not make sense of anything. He knew what his sister said was true, but then again, he was almost as certain what the confidence man and the others had been doing was to stop him from preventing their defection to the Germans. They were all avoiding him now. Was that because they felt guilty or because he had really done the things Casino had told him he had done. So why were they here? Why was he here? Why hadn’t they dumped him and run? It was too much for him to think about right now. He pulled back into the corner of his mind where it was safe.

Terry watched him withdraw and sighed. She had hoped when Casino told Craig what had really transpired, it would straighten this all out. Apparently not. Hopefully when the medicine took effect, it would clear his brain. She shook her head, adjusted the covers over her brother, and took her seat again for another long watch. She didn’t see Actor peek into the room, turn and silently go back downstairs.

GGG

Downstairs, the four convicts were sitting around the game table. Christine was still tight against Chief as no one had commented on it. Casino was starting to deal cards to Goniff. And Actor was sitting in a chair, sideways to the table, fingers tapping an endless repetition on the table top. The front door opened, and Kelly Garrison walked in. 

The tall fifteen-year-old boy still had some of the look of youth, except for his eyes. They had seen too much and had an older, somewhat disillusioned appearance. Right now, they showed worry. The youngest of the Garrison clan took one look at the quiet table and the tear-streaked face of his sister and felt a vise tighten around his heart.

“Am I too late?” he asked with trepidation.

“Naw,” replied Casino. “You’re early. There ain’t any food on the table yet.”

“Thanks, Ferretface,” shot back the tall young man. “Is Craig okay?”

Christine pulled away from Chief and straightened a little self-consciously. “Craig’s not in danger of dying. At least I don’t think he is.” She looked at Actor for confirmation. When he nodded, she continued. “It hasn’t been good, to say the least.”  
“What happened?” asked Kelly, still concerned. He rarely got a note telling him to get to the Mansion at once. That meant it was bad.

“It’s a long story,” said Crystal.

“Sit down, Kid,” said Casino. “I’ll fill you in.”

That got a reaction from Goniff, “’Ey, Mate, who made you town crier?”

“I’m the one who had to tell the Warden what he did,” shot back Casino. “Ain’t like you can tell it right. And Actor sure ain’t gonna talk about it.”

Chris looked quickly at the aristocratic man. Actor’s face was closed, lips tight together. He very slowly and deliberately put out his cigarette in an ashtray and rose from his chair. He walked slowly away from the table and past Kelly without a word or look and headed for the front door.

Terry was just coming down the stairs. She saw the Italian opening the front door. “Act -,” she started. He walked out the door and closed it behind himself. “-or,” she finished slowly.

The girl looked to the game table with puzzlement. The occupants were turned toward the door, as was her kid brother who was standing close to the others.

“’E’s gonna scarper soon,” predicted Goniff in a quiet voice.

Terry looked sharply at him. “Has he said so?”

The pickpocket shook his head. “No. ‘E ain’t talking much.”

Chief got up and went to his usual window to look out. He watched the tall man walk slowly across the drive and toward the pasture fence.

“He goes,” said Chief, “and the Warden’s like this, then we’re in big trouble.”

Terry came the rest of the way down the stairs and walked up to her brother, exchanging a hard hug with him. “I’m glad you came,” she whispered.

“Whatever I can do to help,” Kelly whispered back, hugging her hard. He thought she was looking older than her years, and that worried him too.

Terry turned and fixed Casino with a hard look. “So, what did you say this time?”

Casino shrugged as though not understanding. “I just said . . .”

“Yeah,” said Terry with disgust. “You ‘said’ and you didn’t think first . . . again. If you don’t back off of him, he’s going to leave.”

“Aw,” scoffed Casino, knowing he was in the wrong, but not about to admit it. “He just needs to get a thicker skin.”

“Excuse me,” said Terry, jumping to anger faster than usual with the strain she had been under for the last few days. “You aren’t the one who almost got his throat ripped out and shot at.”

Casino voice rose up defensively. “Yeah, well I almost got shot saving His Highness’s hide.”

Before Terry could say anything more, Christine leaned forward with narrowed eyes and pursed lips. “Then you should have some idea what he is going through. Just because he doesn’t piss and moan like you do, doesn’t mean it doesn’t bother him.”  
“Oh, like you know him so well,” shot back Casino.

“Knock it off!” ordered Terry. 

She turned on her heels and walked away toward the door, ignoring the amused grin Kelly was trying to hide. He had never heard Chris talk like that.

“What are you gonna do?” asked Casino, unable to let her have the last word.

Terry paused by the door and looked back, first at Casino and then at the others. “I don’t know,” she said, “. . . I really don’t know.”

She went outside and down the steps, following the con man’s path to the paddock. Actor was leaning on his forearms on the fence. Her first instinct was to walk up to the man, wrap her arms around his waist and lay her cheek against his slightly bowed back. Terry knew they were being watched from the house so that wasn’t something she could do. Instead she walked to the far side of him and leaned against the railing, facing the opposite direction from the man. They stood in silence, Actor barely acknowledging her presence with a glance, though he was acutely aware she was there as he was also acutely aware they were being observed.

“This is so unfair, putting you in this position,” said Terry.

“Life is not fair, Teresa,” replied Actor resignedly. “It never has been, and it never will be.”

Terry nodded, chewing on her lips and concentrating her eyes on a spot of ground in front of her. “I can’t ask you to stay,” she said. “And I would understand if you don’t . . . but I don’t want you to leave.”

Actor sighed slowly. “For now, I am staying,” he said. “But if it comes down to going back to prison, I will disappear.”

“If it comes down to that,” said Terry, “I’ll help you. All of you.”

Actor turned his head toward the girl and searched her face. She was serious and it showed starkly on her features.

“I will not let you go back to prison,” she promised firmly. “And if Craig was in his right mind, he wouldn’t let that happen either.”

Actor wasn’t too sure about that, but he was certain about something else. “If it comes down to that, you will come with us. We will not allow you to remain here and pay for our transgressions.”

Teresa was surprised at the determination in the confidence man’s voice. She really had not expected that he might wish to take her along. She briefly leaned her head against his upper arm, hidden from view of the house, before leaning back to look at the hooded hazel eyes watching her. She nodded.

“I’ll go to Switzerland with you. And I’ll stay until you guys get yourselves sorted out.” She gave a half smile. “I still have more to do in this war. And it doesn’t necessarily have to be with the United States Army.”

“We will discuss that at a later time, if it comes to that,” warned Actor.

“Well, let’s just hope it doesn’t come to that,” said Terry adamantly. She leaned back against the fence and dropped a hand to pull the dried seed head off a tall weed, toying with it. “Why can’t Casino watch his mouth?” she lamented quietly.  
“Because he is Casino,” answered Actor. “Most times, I can just ignore him. Sometimes, as now, I must walk away from him.”

“And other times you just have to pop him one,” finished Terry.

Actor’s head turned to meet her gaze with a raised eyebrow. “Teresa, I do not ‘pop’ him. I fight him.”

She gave an impish grin. “Yes, caro.”

“And I do not need to be taken care of,” he added haughtily.

“Yes, caro,” Terry replied dutifully.

“But you are still going to try . . . aren’t you, cara?”

She glanced up at the crooked grin and the affection in his eyes. “Probably.” She shrugged. “It’s in my makeup. I try to take care of the people who are important to me.” She realized she may have just said too much and looked away. “I’m going in and start dinner,” she said.

“Chicken?” he asked lightly.

“No mushrooms,” replied Terry, aware of the double entendre and ignoring it. “But I’ll come up with something.” She dropped the weed and stood up. “Don’t stay out here too long. It’s getting chilly and you don’t have a jacket.”

“Teresa!” the voice was exasperated.

“Sorry!” She bounced away toward the house, hearing his low chuckle, and grinning to herself.

GGGGG

Kelly took over sitting with Craig the entire night, allowing the two girls needed sleep and relief. The next morning, Terry was able to get another of the nasty yellow pills down their older brother, followed by aspirin and an eggnog that the girl had made especially for him. His mind had barely surfaced enough for that before he went back under. Chris took up the watch, keeping cool damp cloths on him to try to fight the stubborn fever. Kelly went to bed in the spare room down the hall from his sisters.

Terry had been outside surveying the vegetable garden and decided there would soon be a large crop of English peas. Though it was tempting to feed them all to the men now, she held no illusions this war would end before winter. She would have to start canning soon.

Now, she stood in the little used butler’s pantry, looking up almost to the ceiling. She had opened cupboard doors and spotted some canning jars on the uppermost shelf. Stupid house, she thought; high ceilings with cupboards that reached way above her head. 

Granted, the manor house was not typical of British architecture; in fact it was reminiscent of Spanish or Moroccan, but the inside was a conglomeration of styles. The upstairs rooms and common room looked like ‘medieval castle’ with diamond paned windows and heavy wooden paneling. The kitchen looked more like a remodel along the lines of a large American farm kitchen. And then there was the butler’s pantry. She wondered what British butler could reach the top shelves. She needed a ladder, or maybe a tall Italian, but she had her doubts even Actor could reach the jars on the top shelf. Well, there was nothing to be gained by not trying.

Terry walked out to the bottom of the stairs and looked at the confidence man, reading the latest edition of Stars and Stripes.

“Actor, I am in need of your long arms,” she said with a smile. “Could you try to reach something for me in the pantry?”

The Italian put aside his paper. “Of course, Teresa. I would be happy to assist you.”

He followed her into the pantry and looked up at the top shelf. He did not think he could reach it adequately, but stood on his toes to try. He managed to retrieve one jar for the girl.  
“Maybe if you stood on a chair?” Terry suggested.  
Actor looked at her sourly. “The kitchen chairs are old and the dining room chairs are antique. I doubt they would safely hold me.”

Terry sighed. “It was a thought. Thank you for trying, caro. I know there’s a ladder out in the stable. I’ll just have to use it.” She paused. “Or have Goniff climb up the shelves.”

Actor shook his head. “Teresa, you have no imagination.”

She looked at him in surprise as his large hands grasped her hips and positioned her facing the cupboard. He stepped behind her and reached around to place her hands on the counter. Suddenly, his head and neck were between her trouser covered legs and she was lifted upward on his shoulders. She stifled a startled shriek down to a sharp gasp that turned into a giggle as she wrapped her arms around his forehead until she caught her balance. 

“Just when I think nothing you can do would surprise me, you manage it,” she chortled. 

“Can you reach?” Actor asked, steadying her with hands on her legs.

“Perfect,” she announced.

She couldn’t see into the shelf, but she could reach all the jars which she passed down to the Italian, one at a time, for him to set on the counter. When she had retrieved all the jars, Actor stepped back and lowered her so she could stand on the floor. Terry turned around and laughed up at the face that grinned down at her. It always made her laugh when the aristocratic man did something so un-aristocratic.

“Terry!”

The sound of Christine’s upset voice had both of them running to the foyer. The other three men were on their feet. Terry and Actor stopped at the foot of the stairs and looked up at the younger girl. Chris stood at the top, her eyes going from the men in the common room, to the two who had just arrived. 

“He’s sweating,” she said anxiously. “Tons.”

Actor mounted the stairs, three steps at a time, with Terry on his heels. The other three men followed, hurrying past Christine who made way for them. Actor took a seat on Garrison’s right, on the edge of the bed, hand reaching up to feel a brow that was beaded with perspiration.

“It’s breaking,” he said unnecessarily as Terry sat across the bed from him. 

Terry watched as the con man lifted one of the lieutenant’s eyelids and looked at the eye that wasn’t focused yet. He wrung out a cloth from the nearby basin of water and handed it to the girl, taking the other cloth himself. The two began sponging the damp man; Terry taking his forehead, face and neck and Actor working on his chest and arms.

“’E getting’ better?” asked Goniff hopefully, from the doorway.

“We shall soon see,” replied Actor, fervently hoping that was true.

GGG

Craig’s mind surfaced slowly. His body felt like it had been battered. He didn’t open his eyes right away but relied on his other senses to tell him where he was. He was aware of two people with him, one on either side. He was being bathed with cool cloths by both. It felt good, as did the bed he was lying on. 

“’Ow come ‘e isn’t waking up?”

Goniff.

“He will in his own time.”

Cultured with an Italian accent. Actor.

“He’s goes down deep. It’ll take him awhile to come back to us.”

Terry.

“Well let’s hope he’s working on all his cylinders when he does wake up.”

Casino.

“Casino!”

Christine.

“What happened?”

Kelly was here too? He must be bad.

“He’s comin’ ‘round.”

Hard to hide anything from Chief. Craig forced his reluctant eyes to open. Terry was on his left, her face showing what, caution? Why? His eyes shifted right to see Actor’s face, a small polite smile on it, expression closed. God, now what? Carefully, Garrison swept his eyes around the room, looking for his other men and his youngest two siblings. All of them were just inside the doorway. Wary? Distrustful? Even Christine. 

“England?” he asked in a croaking voice through parched lips.

“Yes,” replied Terry. “We’re back at the Mansion.” She frowned slightly because he didn’t seem to remember that.

“How are you feeling, Lieutenant?” asked Actor in a voice normally reserved for strangers.

Craig didn’t understand what was going on. They were all acting strangely. Or was it him? “Confused.”

“That’s for sure,” muttered Casino, followed by a yelp of pain as Christine kicked him in the leg. “What?”

Chris looked at him angrily. “I can punch too. Watch your mouth.”

At any other time that would have been funny coming from the mild-mannered girl, but Terry wasn’t finding anything humorous at the moment. “Settle down,” she ordered. “All of you.” She turned back to her brother. “What do you remember?”

Garrison cautiously shook his head, surprised it didn’t make him dizzy. “I took a hit.”

“Yes,” the Italian finally spoke. “In the leg. It is healing nicely.”

“What else?” coaxed Terry.

“I don’t know,” said Craig, trying to remember. “Bad dreams. Here, there. Nothing makes sense. How did we get back?”

“We followed your plan,” said Actor without any of his usual embellishments.

Garrison remembered none of it. But he did remember what they had been sent over for. “The mission?”

“Now that sounds like the Warden,” said Casino sarcastically.

Terry looked at her sister. “Chris, you have permission.”

Chris hauled off and slugged Casino with about as much effect as Goniff would have had. 

“Hey!” objected the safecracker.

He looked at Terry who was glaring a warning at him and decided maybe he better shut up. Chris might be ineffectual, but he knew Terry was capable of taking him down and her temper was up.

“The mission was completed,” said Actor blandly. “The information has been passed on to Col. Hammond.”

Craig wondered why his second was being so reticent. “Thank you, Actor,” he said in a voice that did not reach beyond the two sitting on the bed. “I knew I could trust you.” He thought he saw a brief spasm of something in the hazel eyes but put it down to his head not working right.

“Why don’t you rest,” suggested Terry soothingly. “We still have to keep that temperature down.”

Actor stood and looked at Terry with his closed expression. “Do you have him?” he asked.

Terry nodded. She frowned as the tall man turned and walked to the door. The group there parted to let him through. He turned and went toward the stairs. The remaining five looked to Terry for guidance. The girl was torn between staying with her brother and going after Actor. Blood family had to come first. She looked at Chris and motioned with her head for her to go to Actor. Crystal’s eyes darted between Terry and Craig in question. Terry shook her head. She knew if her sister thought Actor was hurting, she would forget her fear of him and try to calm him.

Chris pushed through the men and sprinted down the hall in pursuit of the confidence man whose long legs were taking him farther from her.

“What’s going on?” asked Garrison in confusion.

“Not now, Craig,” smiled Terry. “We’ll talk about it later, when you’re feeling a little better.”

Garrison looked at his middle sister, knowing he was being conned and not understanding why. Although he felt exhausted, he knew he had to find out what had happened: that was his duty. His voice dropped to a whisper. “Why did Actor leave? And why are the guys staying in the hall?”

“Later, Craig,” said Terry soothingly, smiling down at him. “When we know you’re better, we’ll discuss it. It’s just a misunderstanding. Don’t worry about it. Let me talk with the guys for a minute. Just rest.”

She got up before he could object and went out to the hall, closing the door behind her.

“What’s with Actor now?” asked Casino. “Warden, let him have it again?”

“No. I think Actor’s having trouble with Craig doing an about face. Craig thanked him,” explained Terry.

Casino didn’t get it. “So that should’ve made Beautiful happy.”

“He didn’t look happy,” remarked Chief.

“Well, hopefully Chris can talk to him,” said Terry.

Casino snorted. “Chris is scared of him.”

“Not right now, she isn’t,” assured the older sister.

Goniff wasn’t reassured either. “What if he scarpers?”

“I don’t think he will,” said Terry, praying she was right. “And if he does, we’ll just have Chiefy track him down, won’t we?”

Now Chief shook his head. “I’m good, Terry. But if Actor wants to, he can disappear into the woodwork.”

“We’ll find him,” said Terry. I’ll find him, she thought, if it takes forever. He’s done running. They’re all done running.

The convicts went back downstairs. Kelly went back to bed and Terry went back to sit with Craig.

GGG

Chris went out the front door and stopped at the top of the steps, eyes scanning the area in front of her. She spotted the tall man moving across the drive toward his favorite place at the paddock fence. His hands were in front of him and his long stride was at a slower pace than was usual for the man. Chris cocked her head and watched him. She had the feeling Terry was right. He was hurting from his treatment by their brother, not that he would tell anyone that. The fact that the aristocratic, haughty man could be hurt immediately wiped away any feelings of intimidation she had when she was around him. She started down the steps with a plan firmly in her mind.  
“Actor?”  
The Italian turned his head to see the youngest Garrison girl striding purposefully toward him. Had something happened with the Lieutenant again? He turned to face her, unlit pipe going back into his jacket pocket.  
“Christine? Is something wrong?” he asked.  
“No,” replied the girl confidently.  
Actor watched her as she did not slow down, just walked right up to him, slipped her arms around him and hugged him tightly. Merda! He looked down at the top of the dark head resting against his chest and felt the arms stay tightly around him, hands rubbing his back.  
“Christine? What . . .?” He was taken aback at the open display from the girl who most times was leery of him, and for once he did not know how to react.  
Chris tilted her head back, never loosening her hold on him and smiled warmly up at him. “With everything that’s been happening, I just wanted to be sure you know how important you are to us. Craig depends on you so much, but you men just don’t seem to say things like that to each other. And Terry. . . Well, that’s between you two. I’m just glad my brother and sister both have you.”  
The articulate man found himself at a loss for words to respond to this onslaught from the girl who definitely was young enough to be his daughter. She laid her head against him again and hugged him tighter. Hesitantly, he placed his hands lightly on her back, aware of the impropriety of that action with the much younger woman.  
Christine’s head came back again, and she looked up at him with a frown. “You don’t get hugged enough, do you?”  
Actor’s eyebrows went up in astonishment.  
“You should let Terry do it more often. She’s good at it. She can teach you.”  
“Christine . . .” He was still at a loss.  
She patted his back. “It’s all right, Actor. You’re very welcome. That’s all I wanted.”  
The girl stepped back, smiled at him, and walked easily back toward the house, leaving the bemused con man trying to make sense of it all. Merda. This time the thought was with gentle affection and wonder.

GGG

Craig stared at the ceiling. He felt completely washed out and his mouth tasted like . . . he didn’t know what, but whatever it was tasted awful. Movement drew his eyes to his sister, who was returning to the chair beside him. He eyed her in confusion. She was not her usual solicitous self. In fact she seemed downright distrustful.  
“Tell me what happened,” he said firmly.  
Terry looked at him. “You don’t remember talking with Casino yesterday?”  
He kind of remembered it. “I thought that was a dream . . . or more like a nightmare.”  
“Unfortunately, it wasn’t,” said Terry. She was not forthcoming with any more information.  
Garrison was tired and wanted to go back to sleep, but he needed answers more. “Did I really shoot Actor?”  
“You tried,” said Terry evenly. “You missed. You also tried to rip his throat out, or so I’ve been told.”  
“Why?” The idea of him doing that to the older man who had become a friend was unbelievable.  
“I have no earthly clue,” replied his sister. “You kept accusing him of going over to the Germans.”  
“Actor?” asked Craig in disbelief, at the same moment remembering something to that effect. “But that’s just crazy.”  
Terry didn’t have an answer for that either.  
Craig frowned. “That’s why Actor left? Why the others don’t come in the room?”  
Terry chewed on the inside of her cheek. “Let’s just say they’re a little gun shy.”  
The seriousness of this hit Garrison hard. “But they brought me back. Actor brought me back. They could have run. They could have gone to Switzerland, or Portugal or someplace, but they brought me back.” He remembered now the things Casino had told him and was amazed that he was here in England.  
“Maybe earlier, when the group was formed, they might have run,” mused Terry. “Not now. I think it has to do with that bull pucky of ‘we’re all expendable’ that really means nobody gets left behind and most definitely not you.”  
“And they finished the mission?” That amazed the lieutenant also. Terry nodded. “What about Hammond? What about the report and the debrief?”  
“Actor took care of it.”  
“With Hammond?”  
“Um hmm,” Terry nodded. “When you get better, we’ll have to go over that part with you. It was a bit of a con.”  
Craig shook his head in wonder. “Actor conned Hammond. And it worked?”  
“Of course,” grinned the girl. “He’s Actor. Of course it worked.”  
A quiet scratching was heard from the door. Both Garrisons looked around to see Goniff standing there with a cup and saucer in his hand.  
“I thought maybe the Warden would be thirsty,” shrugged the slight blond man. “I fixed ‘im a cuppa if ‘e wants one.”  
“Come on in, Goniff,” invited Craig. “I hope you put some whiskey in that.”  
“No alcohol!” said Terry adamantly. “Not while you’re taking that medicine. It’ll eat your liver.”  
Goniff took a few steps inside. “Sorry, Warden. Just a touch o’ lemon and a bit o’ Terry’s sugar.”  
“Thank you, Goniff,” said Craig.  
Terry got up and helped her brother to sit up against the headboard so he could drink. Goniff handed the cup and saucer to him and remained, fidgeting next to the chair.  
“Sit down,” offered Garrison. “I promise I won’t bite or punch.” The last was said with a rueful tone.  
“Yeah, and his gun’s out of reach,” added Terry.  
The Englishman looked questioningly at the girl. She nodded with her head for him to take her chair. As her back was to Craig, she mouthed ‘Okay?’ to Goniff. He grinned in return and sat down.  
“I have things to do, if you want to sit with him for awhile?” she said to the pickpocket.  
“Sure, Love,” replied the Cockney brightly. “We’re good. I won’t let him get too tired.”  
Terry headed for the door, letting her fingers brush Goniff’s shoulder in passing as a way of thanks.


	9. Chapter 9

Garrison’s fever abated, leaving the man weak, but disquieted. He was trying to figure out just what had gone wrong in his mind. That he could behave in such a manner to his men, and more specifically to Actor, was difficult for him to believe. The gentle reinforcement by his siblings eventually left him with no doubt the story was true. Now the fever had broken he had the time to lay there and try to figure it all out.

Slowly, one by one, the convicts started coming into his room to see how he was doing and see if he needed anything. All of them, that was, except Actor. His second, and sometimes confidant, was avoiding him. Late at night, Craig could hear the footsteps in the hall that did not pause in front of his room, and the closing of the door to the room next to his. Garrison wanted badly to speak to the older man and try to mend the fences that were not only broken but seemed to be shattered. He just didn’t know how. Craig knew he wasn’t strong enough yet for any kind of confrontation, if it came to that. He could’ve easily called out when he heard the man passing his room, or asked someone to get the confidence man, but he just couldn’t. The fact that Actor did not come of his own accord kept the young lieutenant from doing either.

Meanwhile, life went on at the Mansion. Terry and Chris seemed to live in the kitchen, what with the canning of spring vegetables and the feeding of eight mouths now. Terry had spoken on the telephone with Doc Kaiser, keeping him updated on her brother’s progress. The major had in turn advised the powers that be Lt. Garrison needed some more time to recuperate or he would have a relapse, never telling them just how ill the young officer had been. It seemed to be keeping G-2 off their backs.

Kelly stayed on, taking a break from the war and enjoying his sisters’ home-cooked meals. He and Casino had developed a relationship of baiting each other and calling each other derogatory names, to the amusement of Goniff and the relief of Chief. It was frequently loud and boisterous, so much so that Christine had remarked how it sounded like home before Craig had gone off to West Point. There were no fist fights mainly because Casino wasn’t about to hit a fifteen-year-old, and especially Garrison’s kid brother.

Actor kept to himself, withdrawn and quiet, though becoming more edgy as the noisiness of the youngster and the safecracker increased. His sleeping was fitful, and he never felt rested. It showed in the downward curve of his mouth and the darkness around his eyes.

GGG

The kitchen was like an Indian sweat lodge with the fire from the wood part of the stove and the humidity from the pressure canner. The rattling of the weight on the lid did not drown out the carrying on in the common room between Kelly and Casino over a game of cards.

Both girls looked up when the swinging door between the kitchen and the dining room opened and Actor entered. The man never paused, just skirted around the table behind them and let himself out the back door. The sisters watched the door close behind him.

Crystal turned to Terry with an understanding look. “I’ve got this, if you want to take a break for awhile.”

Terry nodded. “Thanks, Sis.”

She untied her apron and hung it over the back of a chair. After washing her hands in the sink, Terry pushed a damp tendril of hair back behind her ear and let herself out into the relative coolness of the back garden. She hadn’t realized how stifling it was until coming outside into the fresh crisp air. Glancing around, she headed for the gazebo.

Terry mounted the two steps to the entrance of the octagon structure, her hand holding the doorjamb, and stopped, going no further. In the dimness of the interior, she could see Actor sitting on the far seat, a lit cigarette in the fingers of the hand resting on his leg. The con man looked up at her and gave a small crooked smile. Terry took that as permission to enter, so she stepped inside and came to stand in front of him.

“You’ve been coming outside a lot lately,” she said. 

“I have a lot on my mind,” acknowledged Actor.

“I know.” Terry chewed on her lips. “You’ve had a very bad time lately. Especially from Craig. I know you won’t tell me what is going through your head.” She gave a little smile. “You do have one or two trust issues. And I am still a little afraid you’re going to pull a runner. That’s bothering me . . . a lot. I would miss you terribly. And I would worry about you constantly, because that’s what I do . . . worry.” She looked down at her feet, unable to meet his eyes.

Actor looked at her, feeling strangely humbled by that admission. “I promise you,” he said slowly, “I am not contemplating ‘pulling a runner’. At least not right now. And if I ever do, I will tell you.” He watched her nod in acceptance of that. He motioned her to have a seat beside him. As she sat, he dropped the remains of his cigarette on the floor and crushed it out with his foot.

“Too noisy in there for you?” asked Terry with a soft smile.

“They are a bit boisterous,” admitted the con man.

Actor turned his head to look at the young woman next to him. Even in the dim dappled light of the gazebo, he could see the dampness of her skin and pinkness of cheeks flushed by the heat of the kitchen. Used to women using rouge to fake the flush of color, he was surprised to find that hard work could achieve the same attractive effect. A tendril of auburn hair had escaped from the pins. It slipped from behind her ear and dangled along her face. He reached a long forefinger out to guide it back to captivity. 

Teresa’s head turned and green eyes looked into his.

With a crooked smile, the Italian said, “It would appear more than just peas are being cooked in the kitchen.”

“Yeah, I can’t wait for summer,” she replied in a tone that indicated just the opposite.

They sat in silence for awhile. Each relaxing. 

Finally, Terry said, “I suppose I better go back in before Chris thinks I deserted her.” She glanced at the tall man. “You coming?”

Actor shook his head. “No. I believe I will sit out here a bit longer and enjoy the silence of the birds in the trees, the chickens cackling, the crowing of the rooster.”

“I guess it’s better than Kelly and Casino cackling,” said Terry with amusement.

A thought that had been fluttering in her mind for the past couple days, recurred. With it, she came to a decision. Terry rose from the seat and stood facing the Italian. 

“You going to be here for a few minutes?” she asked.

“Yes.” Actor wondered at the contemplative expression on the woman’s face.

“Good.”

She turned and walked out to stride across the yard. Terry went into the kitchen and right on out. She missed the raised eyebrows of her sister, pouring peas and hot water into jars. Without looking at the men in the common room, she went upstairs to her bedroom, closing the door behind her.

Terry opened the drawer on her nightstand and took out the spare set of keys that was there. The two keys on the chain opened the Fox and her flat. She removed one of the keys and put the chain back. 

Craig had told her not to place her trust in Actor. But the confidence man had always been straight with her or at least she had never caught him not being straight with her. Besides that, there was something about the man that seemed to click with her. She could talk to him about anything without fear of derision. He seemed to be opening up more with her too. Oh, she still didn’t know much of anything concrete about the man and his background, but he seemed more comfortable with her. Maybe it was a result of the time spent together when he had the concussion, or the time spent teaching her the trade. Craig had said he was a confidence man, had no scruples, and was mean. He was definitely a confidence man - extraordinaire. Scruples? Yes, they were lacking, but she detected a change slowly evolving in him. Mean? Yes, he was arrogant and could be mean to Goniff, but he could also be supportive and worried about Goniff and the others on the team. A mean man with no scruples would not have put up with the abuse he had just received from her brother and would not have tried so hard to complete the mission and bring Craig home. 

Of the four men, Actor was the one who needed a peaceful place to escape to. Terry knew Chief was content to wander the estate and find solitude by the pond when he needed some privacy. Casino and Goniff only seemed to need a pub and each other – and a couple of willing girls, of course. 

Terry contemplated the key in her hand, nodded to herself, and went back downstairs, through the kitchen and out the back door. Actor was still in the gazebo. Walking purposefully up to the big man, she laid hold of his wrist. He looked up at her in surprise. She was never this forceful. The face that looked down at him was as inscrutable as his own. Terry turned his hand over and placed hers atop his open palm. She squeezed and let go, curling his fingers up. Eyebrows furrowed in curiosity, Actor opened his hand and looked at the key resting there.

“You know where my flat is,” said Terry. “You’ve picked me up there before. It’s quiet. I don’t have any Courvoisier . . .yet . . . but I have some fairly decent brandy in the upper cabinets of the kitchen. There’s food in the icebox. There are books in the living room. I’m sorry. There are no sheets on the spare bed. If you want to sleep, you can use my bed.” She looked hard at him. “Actor. Alone.”

That brought a grin of amusement to his face. His smile faded. “Cara, you do not have to do this.”

“I know I don’t have to do this,” she answered. “The keys are in the ignition in my car. It’s up to you if you want to go get some peace and quiet.”

Actor closed his fingers over the key and stood up. He raised the first two fingers of his left hand to his lips and touched them to hers. She smiled softly at him, one hand going up to rub his chest and giving a quick pat before she turned and walked back to the house.

Christine looked at the thoughtful expression on her sister’s face as Terry went back to heating more water on the hob for blanching. The older girl spoke no words of explanation for the trips through the kitchen. A minute later, Actor entered and walked through much the same as Terry had, without a word to either girl. A few seconds later they heard the front door close.

Terry turned and walked out to the common room. “You boys need anything?” she asked casually.

“Naw, we’re good,” said Casino, concentrating on the cards in his hand.

“He cheats,” said Kelly with good humor.

“I coulda told you that,” grinned Terry. “So, cheat back.”

“’E is,” lamented Goniff, clearly on the losing end of the game.

Terry looked up at Chief who was sitting in the window looking out. “Chiefy? You want anything?”

The Indian shook his head and looked at her with questioning eyes. Terry gave a minute shake of her head. The Indian looked out the window and watched Actor get behind the wheel of the MG. It rolled slowly partway down the drive before quickly picking up speed.

GGG

Actor let himself in the silent flat. He had been here before, but never farther inside than the hall to pick Teresa up for a mission. A comfortable sofa faced the small fireplace with the marble mantel. There were pictures on it he would look at later. A six foot tall wooden bookcase graced the wall beside the door. A stuffed armchair was positioned in front of the bookcase with a floor lamp next to it. A wooden table and chairs were on the opposite wall. 

The con man wandered through the doorway into the kitchen. It was small but efficient. Opening upper cabinet doors, he found dishes, a few canned goods and finally a small balloon glass beside a bottle of brandy and one of Jack Daniels. Making himself at home, he poured a healthy portion of brandy into the balloon and walked back out to the living room. 

Curiosity had him going to the mantel. The pictures were of what he assumed was Montana. The sharp rugged peaks surrounding the wooded valley reminded him of the Alps. One of the pictures was of a dirt road winding through trees and meadows back into the valley. He was vaguely disappointed there were no pictures of the ranch itself. There were horses and fat cattle. It struck Actor as odd that the Lieutenant had come from this place; however, he was learning their Warden was a man of many diverse facets, such as the ability to milk a dairy cow and to pull a good con.

He wandered over to the bookcase. There were books on a variety of topics. Jane Eyre was next to a book on herbs from the British Isles. A whole shelf was devoted to tourist books on almost every country in Europe and on some of the larger cities. That piqued the con man’s interest. The Continent was not a place for holidays right now. Another shelf held what should have been coffee table books on the major artists, Rembrandt, Monet, Manet, Cezanne, Renaissance art, sculpture, and jewels. She was teaching herself, Actor decided in pleased surprise. Maybe it was time to teach her how to spot a copy. 

He wondered what more information the apartment would yield about its tenant. 

Making his way into the hall, sipping at his brandy, Actor took note of the location of things. Built-in cupboards lined both sides. They contained the usual towels, linens, tablecloths and cloth napkins, toilet paper and a box of facial tissues. 

The bathroom was at the end of the short hall. Actor stepped inside, placing his glass on the sink. A toothbrush stuck its bristly head out of a glass on the opposite side of the sink. He used the back of one finger to part the curtains beneath the sink. On a shelf were a roll of toilet paper and a box of Kotex. He let the curtains fall back. The medicine cabinet held toothpaste, a hair brush, a small bottle of aspirin, a jar of Ponds Cold Cream, a dark pink lipstick and a tiny bottle of vanilla and lavender scent. Still curious as to the habits of the young woman, he looked behind the curtain to the bathtub. In the wire basket hanging on the far side of the tub were a well-used bar of Yardley English Lavender soap, a razor, shampoo and crème rinse. The lady didn’t keep much in her bathroom. That surprised the confidence man, accustomed as he was to ladies’ bathrooms full of all manner of beauty aids.

Picking up his brandy, he left the bathroom and went back into the hall. He opened the door on his left. It was the spare bedroom, sparsely furnished with a bare mattress on a metal bed, an armoire, and a rocking chair. He closed that door and opened the one on his right.

It was Teresa’s room. Obviously, the woman had not been planning on staying at the mansion. A pair of fuzzy mules lay on the rag rug beside the bed. A plain cotton nightgown was draped across the foot of the bed. The covers had been tossed back on one side and not made up before she had left. What struck him was the bed was large, but only one side had been slept in. If he was polite, he would sleep on the other half of the bed. If he was terribly polite, he would not sleep on the bed at all. He was not feeling at all polite. Besides, he was still curious. Actor set his glass on the night table beside a book on French archetecture and pulled the drawer open. He was surprised to find a small torch, a handgun and a switchblade. No foil packets. Apparently, she did not entertain male guests in her bedroom, not that he really expected she would. 

He moved to the low dresser and opened the top drawer. In neat rows were carefully rolled stockings, wool socks, a couple utilitarian brassieres, and white cotton panties. Suddenly, he felt uncomfortable, as though he should not be invading her privacy as much as he was. This was a new experience for him. 

He turned back to the bed and slowly removed his clothes. His shoes went beside the mules and his clothing was hung on a hanger in the armoire beside a couple skirts and blouses and female trousers. Naked, he slipped into the bed and pulled the covers over himself. The cold sheets were plain white cotton, just like at the mansion. She deserved better, he thought. He rolled to face the middle of the bed, his head burrowing into her pillows. They held her scent and he breathed in the comfort with a sigh. An unbidden thought came to his mind. He wondered what it would be like to curl up in the bed with Teresa in his arms. Somehow, he knew she would snuggle tight against him, no demands, no bartering her favors for expensive trinkets. A long arm reached up to take one of the other pillows and pull it under the covers. He curled up around the pillow, arm holding it to him. His eyes closed and the tension left him. Soon he drifted off to sleep unconsciously pulling the pillow tighter to him.

GGG

It was late. Terry went into Craig’s office and shut the door. She knew the bar would be closed by now, so she called Kit’s flat. The girl answered.

“It’s Terry.”

“How come you’re here? I thought you’d be staying at the Mansion,” said the girl in wonder.

“I am at the Mansion,” said Terry. “Is my car still at the curb?”

Kit peered carefully around the blackout curtains. “Yeah.” She frowned. “If your car’s here and you’re there, is someone staying in your flat?”

“Looks that way,” said Terry with a chuckle. “Don’t go over there.”

“You going to tell me who’s in there?”

“No. Good night, Kit.”

The phone quietly disconnected.

“Good night yourself,” said the red head in annoyance at being kept in the dark about the flat’s visitor.

GGG

The mantel clock struck one in the morning. Terry was about to give it up and go to bed when the front door quietly opened. The book she had been reading dropped into her lap and she watched in curiosity.

Actor carefully shut the door behind him. He stepped into the common room, fully expecting Teresa to be there. She was watching him with a cocked head and an expectant look.

Though it was not in his nature to explain himself, he said with a small grin, “I overslept.” At her raised eyebrows, he added defiantly, “Alone.”

Terry grinned. The con man looked more relaxed and at ease than he had in a while. She set her book aside as he stepped up to her.

Actor’s hand felt in his pants pocket and produced the key, holding it out to her. Terry looked at it and held her hand up, palm out indicating he should keep it. They exchanged a look before the con man flipped the key around his fingers and into his palm. The key went back in his pocket.

“You have a very nice flat,” he said. “The brandy . . .” He made a so-so gesture.

Terry smiled. “I’ll get a bottle of Courvoisier. And I’ll be sure the spare bed has linen from now on.”

“I can provide my own beverage,” said the man. With a twinkle in his eye, he added, “And your bed is most comfortable. My feet don’t hang off the end.”

Terry giggled and rose from the chair. She remembered seeing the Italian sleeping on his stomach in his bed upstairs, his feet hanging off to the ankles. “Just remember my ground rules,” she said.

“Ah, yes,” he nodded. With an impudent smile, he asked, “And the spare bedroom?”

Terry cocked an eyebrow at him. “I don’t want to know.”

Actor chuckled. In an expansive and relaxed mood, he held his arm out and Terry slipped under it, sliding an arm around his waist. Together they headed for the stairs. 

“Jane Eyre?” Actor asked dubiously.

Terry shook her head. “Kit gave it to me for my birthday. I didn’t like it.” She got a mischievous grin on her face the taller man could not see. “I prefer my men strong and virile. Even the silent ones.” She squeezed his waist.

Actor paused and looked down at her, wondering if she had really said and done that. Trying very hard to keep a straight face, Terry looked up at him. The twinkle in her eyes betrayed her. His mouth turned up on the right into a cocky little half-grin. They continued up the stairs.


	10. Chapter 10

Craig pushed the covers back and carefully eased his injured leg out with a small grimace at the pain. He sat up. So far so good. There was no dizziness and the light-headedness wasn’t so bad. That was a major improvement. He was supposed to be taking it easy, Nurse Terry’s orders. He snorted. He’d been down too long as it was. 

Slowly he stood, reaching for the black cane with the silver lions head grip that leaned against the night table. It had to be one of Actor’s, not that the con man had brought it to him. Chief had come in with it one day with no explanation.

His jaw firmly set, he limped into the bathroom. Exchanging the support of the cane for the sink, he looked at his reflection in the mirror. As he always did when he had these bouts of fever, he’d lost weight; his face looked thinner and his skin looked grayish. Maybe it was the power of suggestion, but his skin seemed to have a faint yellowish tinge to it. He ran cold water into the basin and splashed it liberally over his face, shoulders and chest; he needed the shock of the cold water to break the stupor that seemed to surround his brain like cotton wool. He used the towel vigorously to reinforce the sloughing of torpidity.

Back in his room, Garrison hobbled over to his armoire and reached inside to retrieve and toss a pair of uniform trousers and a long-sleeved matching shirt onto the bed. He got underwear from the drawer and lifted his belt from the hook. Returning to the bed, he sat down to begin the slow task of getting dressed.

Actor. The man worried him. Craig was still afraid the Italian would ‘scarper’, in Goniff’s terms, even though Terry had tried to assure him that was not the case. Maybe she thought she knew, but nobody ever really knew what the con man would do. Craig needed to talk to his second; make things right with the older man. In his pajamas, in his room, Craig would start out at a disadvantage he could not afford, especially with what he decided to say. His decision, what he had decided to say, was a gamble, but it was a gamble he had to take.

Fully dressed now, Garrison went back into the bathroom and ran a comb through his hair. He looked in the mirror again at the dark circles and the haunted eyes in the pale, gaunt face that confronted him. His reflection looked like a man twenty years older than he was. With fierce determination, Craig picked up the cane and walked out to the top of the stairs. He paused, took a deep breath, squared his shoulders and started down, ignoring the pain in the wounded thigh.

Everyone in the common room looked up at his entrance. The men were in their usual places. Kelly was in the chair by the window. Terry and Chris were mending clothes on the half of the table not occupied by Casino’s and Goniff’s cards.

Terry frowned. “Craig, what do you think you’re doing?”

“I have things that need to be taken care of,” he said abruptly. “I can’t waste my time laying around up there.”

He paused in front of the doorway to his office and fixed the confidence man with a stern look. “Actor.” He nodded curtly at his office, turning the knob and opening the door. It was an order, not an invitation.

Garrison was aware of the sharp looks thrown at him by everyone except the man he had summoned. He saw Terry start to rise from her chair. He pinned his sister with a hard glare.

“Terry, this is none of your business,” he said firmly. “Go back to what you were doing.”

Christine put a hand on her sister’s arm and tugged her back into her chair. The look in Terry’s eyes went from venomous to pleading. Garrison ignored her.

Actor placed his pipe in his ashtray and rose from his chair. He followed the lieutenant into his office without a glance at anyone else.

“Bloody ‘ell,” breathed Goniff. “I thought he was over this.”

“Don’t look like it,” replied Casino.

“Actor can take care of himself,” said a soft voice from the window sill.

“Yeah, but will he?” asked Kelly, fully aware of what had previously happened on the mission.

Terry remained silent, picking up her needle and the garment she was working on, her mind in turmoil, her face without expression.

GGG

“Shut the door,” ordered Garrison in a less harsh tone.

Actor closed it and stood facing the room. The lieutenant motioned for him to have a seat in front of the desk. The con man sat down, crossing his long legs with the illusion of unconcern. 

Craig opened the bottom drawer of his desk and took out the bottle of whiskey and a shot glass. He filled the glass with the hard liquor and set it in front of Actor. The man made no move to touch it. God, Craig wanted a drink badly, Dutch courage, but knew he couldn’t have one. Instead, he turned and walked over to the back window, leaning his outstretched left arm on the sill and leaning on his right hand on the cane, taking some of the weight off his sore leg. There was silence behind him. He didn’t quite know how to say what he knew he had to say, so, staring sightlessly out of the window, he just started.

“Casino told me what happened on the mission. The things I did and how I acted toward you.” He paused fleetingly. “It didn’t make sense to me. But I’ve had lots of time now to try to figure out why my mind would come up with something so – contradictory to what I actually think.” This was difficult, but then, he’d expected it to be, and he didn’t want Actor to interrupt until he’d said his piece. He pushed on. “I thought back to the psychology classes we took at the Point. They taught us the deranged mind will come up with the worst case scenario and make it seem real. I never thought that you had been killed, I guess because all of us tend to think you’re invincible. No, the worst thing to me would be you taking off or, worse yet, going over to the other side.” Garrison felt his voice breaking so he paused to gather himself, staring out the window, but still seeing nothing beyond the speech he had prepared in his mind. His voice was firm as he continued, “I never wanted to admit to you how much I depend on you, on your wisdom, your knowledge, your abilities . . . your support and friendship.” A short pause and then the young officer moved bravely on. “Without you all this time, we’d all either be dead or in prison camps somewhere. Your ability to work a con and play German officers so well has been what has kept this group together and alive. Without you, I couldn’t do even half this job.” He paused again, suddenly aware of the tears starting to run down his face. Determined to finish, he lifted his chin and made his voice firm and solid. 

“You cutting and running or turning to the other side, that’s the worst possible nightmare my delirium could come up with. It felt like betrayal.”

“Warden . . .,” Actor said quietly.

Craig shook his head briefly. Making his voice harsh, he said, “That’s all. Get out.”

Garrison did not turn around. He listened to the older man get up, pause and then quietly let himself out of the office, shutting the door behind him. 

Craig bit his lips between his teeth, tears now sliding freely down his cheeks. Physically and emotionally drained, he remained at the window, struggling to get himself under control. He had said his piece but found himself with no more reassurance about his working and non-working relationship with Actor than he had before this meeting. The ball was now in the con man’s ballpark. How would the Italian react? Would they still be able to work together and how well? Had he done enough to restore the older man’s confidence in himself and his leadership?

Finally, pulling himself together, he turned around. His eyes were drawn of their own volition to the chair in front of his desk, but then moved quickly to the desk itself. The empty shot glass sat atop his desk, next to a large, folded, pristine white handkerchief.

GGG

Actor paused outside the closed door to the office, acutely aware of the faces turned toward him in expectation. Terry’s face was expressionless, but her eyes held concern. She looked from him to the closed door and back again. When he said nothing, she started to get up.

“Laisse-le,” said Actor. He wanted this conversation to be private and did not know just how much Italian Casino could understand, despite the little he spoke. 

“Are you all right?” asked Terry, also in French.

Actor nodded.

“Is he all right?” she asked.

Actor nodded again. “He needs some time alone for right now. We both do.”

“Are you two all right with each other now?” Terry had to ask.

“I believe so,” replied the confidence man.

She nodded and settled back down in her chair. Actor walked past his chair, picking up his pipe and tobacco, and closed himself in the library. Without a word, Terry went back to her mending.

“So, what was that all about?” asked Casino in exasperation.

“Nothing,”

“If it was nothin’, then how come it wasn’t in English?” asked the safecracker in frustration.

“Because the conversation was between Actor and myself only, all right?” shot back Terry. “When we want you to know what we say to each other, we’ll tell you. The same with him and Craig.” Her green eyes flashed.

Christine lay a hand on her sister’s arm. “Easy,” she said barely above a whisper.

Green eyes exchanged a look with green eyes. Terry nodded. She threw the shirt she was mending onto the table, pushed her chair back and got up, disappearing around the stairs toward the kitchen. A moment later, they heard the backdoor slam shut.

Kelly slowly uncrossed his legs and pushed himself up out of the chair he was sprawled in. He walked behind Crystal, touching her shoulder in passing. She nodded.

“So why is everything such a damn secret?” asked the safecracker belligerently.

“Well, maybe they need to work things out themselves without your input,” suggested Chris.

“Well, that ain’t good enough, Baby Girl,” said Casino rising from his chair.

“Why don’t you sit down, Casino, and shut up,” said a quiet deadly voice from the window.

“Yeah, you gonna make me, Injun?” asked Casino snottily.

“Casino, sit – down!” ordered Christine. “If you’re going to start a fight, then I’m going to let Chief take you down and I am going to stitch your mouth shut.” She brandished a long needle attached by thread to a torn singlet. “Can we please have some peace and quiet? Not everything is your business you know.”

“Sit down, Mate, and deal the cards,” said Goniff, quietly trying to help keep the bigger man from escalating things into a fight that would do none of them any good.

Casino looked around the room. He was outnumbered, not that it usually stopped him, but he sat down and picked up the deck of cards, shuffling them and dealing them out.

Kelly walked out the back door and looked around for his sister. She wasn’t visible so he walked over to the gazebo. Terry was sitting on the edge of the seat, leaning back against the lattice wall. She looked up with a weariness that was born of little sleep, lots of tension, and the worry of trying to take care of things with Craig and Actor both.

The old teenager stepped inside and pulled a pack of cigarettes from his shirt pocket and shook one out to her. Terry accepted it and let him light it for her.

“When did you start smoking?” she asked with concern. 

“I don’t know, a couple months ago,” he shrugged. “I found out they come in handy for bartering on the Continent. I had them, I just started smoking them.”

“You’re too young,” said Terry without much conviction.

“Why? Craig started when he was eleven. You smoke.”

“I’m trying to stop,” said Terry, pausing to take a soothing puff and blow the smoke straight up.

“You need a break,” remarked Kelly, taking a seat beside her. “Why don’t you get out of here for a bit? Go to your flat for the night. Chris and I can handle things.”

Terry glanced at him. They probably could handle things. Craig was getting better. She believed Actor’s ‘I believe so’ to her inquiry of his relationship with her older brother. It was tempting to walk away right now. Craig didn’t need her. Actor probably never really did need her. Kelly was watching her. Slowly her corners of her mouth turned up in an ever widening smile.

“For a kid, you come up with some darn good ideas sometimes.”

“I quit being a kid a long time ago,” said Kelly somewhat regretfully.

Terry’s smile faded and she rubbed his knee. “Yeah, I think you did.”

GGG

Terry waited until after supper to casually walk out to the foyer, pick up her purse and her jacket from the coat tree and head for the door.

“Goin’ somewhere, Love?” asked Goniff cheerfully, hiding his worry.

The other three men looked up.

“Yeah,” replied Terry. “Somewhere quiet.”

The eyes of three convicts and one sibling focused accusingly on the safecracker.

“You don’t gotta go on my account,” he said sullenly.

She didn’t look at him. “Yeah, I do gotta go,” she parroted back at him. She stopped with her hand on the door knob and softened her voice some. “I just need some time to myself. I’ll be back tomorrow.” 

She dared not look at any of them, especially Actor. She knew he didn’t need her or anybody else for that matter, but she still felt as though she were deserting her friend. Well, they’d both get over it. She opened the door and went out, closing it gently, and bounded down the steps. She felt like a kid sneaking out of school, or what she thought it should feel like, considering she had been home schooled. The MG called to her and she climbed in behind the wheel. Unlike Actor, she took off with a leap forward.  
The flat was wonderfully silent. The blackout drapes had been left closed, so she was able to flip on the lights. There was a faint hint of the smell of pipe smoke. She went into her bedroom and stopped. The bed had been made and her slippers lay neatly together on the rag rug. Terry pulled the covers back. No nightgown. So, she went to the armoire. Her nightgown was hanging from a clothes hook. Good grief, the man had cleaned up after her. She shed her clothes and slipped the gown over her head. It was still early, but she just wanted to bury herself in the nothingness of sleep, so she went out and turned the lights out in the living room and climbed into bed, turning out the lamp on the night stand.

As Terry settled on her side in the bed, her nose picked up the masculine scent of Actor that remained on her pillow. Oh, no. She didn’t need this. She reared up, flipped the pillow over and pounded it with her fist before throwing herself back down on it. She lay still for a second. Okay, it had been pleasant. She sat up again and flipped the pillow back over, this time not beating it into submission, and snuggled down, taking a long sniff that ended with a smile. The smile faded. Oh, boy, was she in trouble. Pushing that thought aside, she snuggled into the pillow even more and reached up to pull the other pillow down to hug it to her.

GGGGG

With Terry’s return to the Mansion the next morning, things began to resume a normal, albeit noisy routine. Christine and Kelly, relieved to see their oldest brother acting like a rational human being again, took their leave and returned to London. 

That afternoon, Garrison limped to the door of his office, leaning on the cane. He surveyed his men, who had become quiet at his appearance. “Debrief,” he said with his usual authority.

Four faces frowned at him.

“About what?” asked Casino, “we ain’t been anywhere?”

“I’ve been more than adequately filled in on my objectionable behavior,” said Craig, “but you seem to have neglected to tell me the details of the mission itself that I so eloquently put in my typed report to Col. Hammond. So, Gentlemen, if you will join me in my office?”

Not giving them a chance to object further, he turned and walked back in with the expectation they would follow. And follow they did, taking their usual seats in their usual manner. Craig took his seat at the head of the table, facing Actor on the other end. The officer let his gaze travel slowly around the table.

“First order of business,” he began, steeling himself. “I owe you all an apology and my thanks.”

Three of the four faces looked at him startled, while the hazel eyes opposite him watched from an inscrutable expression.

“Aw, don’t sweat it, Babe,” said Casino, a bit uncomfortably.

“Weren’t like it were your fault now, was it?” chirped Goniff.

“You’d’a done the same for us, Warden,” added Chief. “And you have.”

Garrison nodded, “Well, I owe you just the same for putting up with me and completing the mission.” He ran the backs of his fingers lightly over the yellow-green bruise he still sported on his left chin, fixing the volatile safecracker with a pointed look. “That’s two I owe you now, Casino. The first time, I told you to let Goniff do it next time.”

Casino pulled a face and shook his head. “It wouldn’t’a had the same effect.”

“My point exactly,” replied Garrison, with a rueful smile. Now he looked directly at his second across the table. “Actor. Maybe you would care to enlighten me on how I pulled this mission off? I’m sure there were a few changes in the plan.”

Actor smiled with smug self-satisfaction. “Just a mere tweaking.”

“Well, tell me how it was tweaked. . .”

GGG

The next morning, the phone rang, and Garrison answered it from his office. After a short conversation, he went to the door and watched his sister dumping ashtrays into a small trash can. The men were already trying to stave off boredom in each one’s individual fashion.

“Terry,” said Garrison, waiting for her to look up. “That was Maj. Kaiser on the phone. He wants me to come to the base hospital for a checkup. You want to drive?”

Terry straightened and frowned. “Actually, Craig, I think you should take Actor. He’s the one who came up with the idea for the medicine and he’s the one who has been working with Doc Kaiser on it.”

Craig gave his sister a sharp look at her apparent relinquishing of control to the confidence man. With a mental shrug, he turned to the Italian who was watching from his chair. “Actor?” It was more of a request than an order.

The older man smiled. “I would be happy to take you to your appointment, Lieutenant.” He glanced at the girl who had gone back to her chores, aware of what she was pulling, then back to the officer. Their telepathic abilities were still intact. “Teresa,” said Actor wryly, “I believe three of us can fit in the Packard, if you would care to accompany us. You have done your share in this little endeavor with experimental medicine.”

Terry looked to her brother for his reaction. He nodded. She shrugged as if she didn’t care one way or another, even though both men knew she wanted very much to come along.

In good time, the three found themselves in an examination room at the base hospital. Garrison was sitting on the end of an exam table, clad in his pants and singlet, while the shorter, gray haired, always harried looking major peered into his eyes and felt the glands in his neck.

“Color’s a little sallow,” observed the physician.

“He always does that with the fever,” said Terry. She was standing on one side of the door, watching with arms crossed in front of her.

Actor flanked the opposite side of the door, standing deceptively casual, also observing the examination. “I believe he might have a hint of jaundice in the sclera,” remarked the team’s medical man.

Kaiser looked closer at Garrison’s eyes. “I concur with your findings, Mr. Borghese,” he agreed. “However, it doesn’t seem as severe as some of the reports I have read from North Africa. You’ll have to keep me informed on how well the Atabrine works as a preventative with the next bout of fever.”

“Assuredly, Sir.”

Kaiser stepped back, indicating with his hand that Garrison should drop his trousers. Craig stood and opened his belt and pants, pushing them down to his knees before resuming his seat on the table. The doctor removed the dressing over the leg wounds and studied them.

“Those sutures can come out,” he said. “I’ll have one of the nurses attend to that before you leave.”

“Give me a kit and I can do it,” offered Terry.

Kaiser nodded.

“So, am I cleared for duty, Sir?” asked Garrison.

His two companions glared at him, Actor crossing his arms in front of himself in an unconscious mimic of the officer’s sister.

“I believe the Lieutenant is a bit overzealous in his desire to return to active duty,” Actor intoned, ignoring the glare he received back from Garrison.”

“And a bit unrealistic also,” agreed Kaiser. He fixed the lieutenant with a stern look. “Five more days, Lt. Garrison.”

“Sir, Col. Hammond . . .”

Kaiser look became sterner. “I have been handling Col. Hammond since your group started visiting us. Five more days, Lieutenant.”

“Yes, Sir.” Garrison tried to ignore the identical satisfied smiles on the faces of his second and his sister.

GGG

Sutures out, leg bandaged, instructions received, and the three were on their way back to the Mansion with Actor driving, Garrison in the front passenger seat, and Terry in the back. The girl was between the men, leaning over the seat back arms crossed and elbows resting lightly on the near shoulders of both.

“Let’s see, five days,” she said contemplatively. “That’s enough time.”

“For what?” asked Craig, dreading what next might come out of his sister’s mouth.

“A forty-eight-hour pass to London for the guys of course,” answered Terry as if he should already have thought of it. “Close your ears, caro,” she said before turning to her brother. “If Casino doesn’t get some soon and settle down, I may have to strangle him.” She couldn’t see Actor’s eyes roll.

Craig looked at his sister and shook his head. “For a minute I thought you were going to say you were going to take care of him.”

“Craig!”

Actor gave a guffaw of laughter. “Warden, I should think Teresa has better taste than that.”

“He just wants me all to himself,” said Terry to her brother with a conspiratorial wink.

The confidence man’s eyes widened. “Teresa! I am not sleeping with you!”

I know that,” grinned Terry.

“Yes, but he doesn’t!”

It was at this moment that Garrison finally realized it was probably true, though he wondered for how much longer. It didn’t take any stretch of imagination to know the older man was perturbed with this conversation. That thought amused the younger man and made him decide he had better defuse the situation.

“Okay, I’ll write out a forty-eight-hour pass,” conceded Craig. He looked back at his sister. “And I suppose you want to go along.”

“Not this time, Brother. No way,” denied the girl adamantly. “Look at these guys. This trip will be nothing but booze and chasing loose women.”

“Excuse me?” objected Actor indignantly. “I do not ‘chase loose women’.”

The two Garrisons stared at the elegant man as he tried to maintain his self-righteous dignity. They were both well aware of the man’s proclivity for chasing women while on missions. 

“Well,” hedged the Italian, aware of their scrutiny, “maybe on occasion.”

The car became filled with sibling mirth and a look of frustration that ended with a smile from the con man.

**Author's Note:**

> Of note: Atabrine was a real medication and is the forerunner of Chloroquine that is being researched now for combating COVID-19.


End file.
